TWO years after Hunat Farmers Association (HFA) started raising goats for livelihood, 11 more members have been added to the first six members who pioneered the program in 2017 in the mountain village of Tinubdan, San Fernando.
Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc. (TCPI) added seven goats of the Anglo-Bower breed to the four offsprings given to the first batch of beneficiaries, according to Vanessa Bongcawil, the company’s community relations officer and head of general affairs.
HFA president Neria Canoy recently turned over the livestock to the new beneficiaries at the Tinubdan community stage in the presence of Tinubdan Barangay Captain Dioscoro Pacquiao, councilors and municipal agriculturist Nelson Soronio.
Over 40 members witnessed the event and they were eager for their turn to raise goats. The current beneficiaries will distribute future offsprings of the goats to other members.
In his speech, Soronio urged the farmers to take good care of the goats and to comply with the program’s requirements.
“It is a rare opportunity you have been blessed with,” he said in Cebuano.
Soronio informed the HFA members that the Cebu Provincial Government is planning to establish a goat meat processing facility in the City of Naga.
For his part, Pacquiao thanked TCPI for its continued support and he vowed to collaborate with the company for public service and improvement of his constituents’ lives.
Canoy promised that her members will take good care of the goats.
The beneficiaries were Juanita Alicaway, Joy Barulo, Dionesia Loguiber, Benedicta Pacquiao, Vanessa Sarol, Asteria Sarusal, Elisa Sasil, Gerlie Sasil, Sabiniana Sasil, Estrelitta Villamia and Rebecca Zaldariaga.
The first batch of goat raisers were HFA immediate past president Angelita Rita, vice president Ruthgilda Saura, Josephine Patambag, Elizabeth Remonida, Guillerma Sasil and Erlinda Presores.
TCPI provided the bucks (male goats) to mate with the does (female goats) to bear offsprings. Each farmer fully owns the doe if one gets to turn over two does every four to five months from kidding to the HFA for further dispersal, according to Bongcawil.
“They will then own all kids the original doe will further bear,” Bongcawil said. “They can raise these goats to expand their herd for their own consumption or for them to sell in the market.”
TCPI funded the project under its social development management program with a commitment by the HFA member-beneficiaries to provide forage and house shed for the goats.
The company provided the same assistance to the Sitio Suico Farmers Association in Barangay Tonggo with 12 goats, a spin-off from a four-year project that TCPI undertook in Barangay Bugho in 2009.
TCPI promised to shoulder the medicines and vitamins for the goats. It also coordinated with the municipal agriculturist for the immunization and other health concerns of the livestock. (S)