DSWD’s SLP helps Siquijoranons
A GROUP of men and women has been managing a swine-raising business in Barangay Cang-agong, Siquijor town.
They call themselves Cang-agong Sustainable Livelihood Association (CSLA).
Situated in the mountains of Siquijor town, Cang-agong is about 12 kilometers from the town proper and is considered to be one of the remotest areas in the island.
Can-agong is cool and full of fresh air as it is surrounded with lush vegetation.
Most of the CSLA members are farmers earning below minimum wage. Living in the mountains could be a challenge to their livelihood because of the unpredictable weather condition.
Such situation prompted CSLA members to look for an alternative source of income and the members eventually proposed to raise hogs and implement an integrated farming project to the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Organized by the DSWD in 2015, the group received financial assistance amounting to P342,000 from the agency in April 2016. But before this happened, Jave Yurong, the project development officer assigned in the area, facilitated for the training of the members on swine raising and high-value crop production, simple bookkeeping and financial literacy.
CSLA members ventured into the swine-raising business since the supply of pork has been in demand in the municipality due to the increasing number of tourists and restaurants. Also, they included integrated farming, or crop production, since it is the members’ most common livelihood.
The Provincial Veterinary Office and the Department of Agriculture in the province also assisted the association with this project.
The group has a five-year usufruct agreement with a private individual in the locality for the 1,000-square-meter lot where they established their business. The local government of Siquijor supported the group by giving them P12,000 worth of barbed wire to fence the area for the pig pens and vegetable garden.
The opportunity given by the DSWD’s SLP encouraged the members to be actively involved in the association and help in their business venture. They worked together to register the CSLA with the Department of Labor and Employment.
On Dec. 16, 2016, the association officially started their livelihood project with 16 piglets. For easy business operations, the group signed a partnership with a feeds company to supply the feeds for the piglets. The private company also gave one piglet to the association and agreed to have the feeds delivered door-to-door.
The group members believed that this livelihood project could alleviate their economic situation, especially when it comes to sending their children to school.
“It’s not easy handling a group especially when they complain, but I let it pass because I focus on how to make the business grow for the association and for our family,” said CSLA treasurer Maricel Gapol in Cebuano.
Like any other livelihood associations, the CSLA also encountered difficulties as a group. When their late president Julita Cantal died, members were affected and were about to disband.
However, Renalyn Jumadla, one of the members, was brave enough to stand up for the group. She encouraged members to stay together and help manage their livelihood project. She became the new president of the association.
At present, the group is united and their business is doing well. Recently, members already received their second profit share worth P1,950 each.
The members have strictly observed their tasks and responsibilities in keeping their business. The association is hopeful it would achieve what it had envisioned: a livelihood that will benefit the whole community of Cang-agong, not just CSLA members. (S)