THE Bago City Government officially launched an egg-laying project on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, aimed at benefiting a local association and its community.
The launch was led by Mayor Marina Mayette “Mayette” Javellana-Yao, along with members of the San Jose Farmers Association, headed by Reynaldo Caballero, at Purok San Jose in Barangay San Jose.
Javellana-Yao said the project marks a concrete step toward food sustainability and livelihood opportunities for Bagonhons.
“But more than this, this program is a clear message of believing in the capacity of the people, in the strength of the community, and the goodness brought by dedication and hard work,” Javellana-Yao said.
The San Jose Farmers Association, composed of 28 members, received P500,000 in seed capital through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – Negros Island Region.
The association was recently organized with the help of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) and was endorsed to the DSWD through Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP).
Javellana-Yao said the poultry project stands as a symbol of what’s possible — that even the smallest initiative, when supported, nurtured, and sustained, can grow into a powerful solution to hunger, poverty, and uncertainty.
“Every egg that will be laid, every source of income this project creates, is not just about food on the table, but about lives built on hope,” Javellana-Yao said.
The mayor said the project is owned by people who have dreams to uplift their lives.
“This is our shared vision, our shared progress, and our shared journey towards abundance,” she said, adding that “let us move forward in livelihood, continue towards growth, for our beloved Bago, and for a future full of dignity, joy and purpose," Javellana-Yao said.
For the association, Caballero said they are initially raising 90 chickens specifically for egg production.
He added that they are currently producing around 90 eggs per day, and are expecting to receive more chickens for an additional eight cages to be installed in their 200-square-meter production area, which is part of the association’s one-hectare communal land.
Caballero noted that the eggs are currently produced mainly for community consumption and are sold at farmgate prices.
“One of our programs in the association is community service, we really wanted to help the community,” he said, adding that “this is really a big help for us, members of the association, in terms of livelihood," Caballero said.
He said the priority of the association is food security.
"Instead of buying eggs at a higher price at the market, where supply is sometimes hard to find, we will produce our own through egg-laying project and get them directly from here," he added.
Caballero also expressed their gratitude to the City Government for providing them with a livelihood project, assuring that they will take good care of it, continue working hard, and sustain it to benefit not only their members but the entire community as well.
Meanwhile, DSWD-NIR Project Development Officer II Geljane Premacio, who was also present at the launching, said the San Jose Farmers Association is one of 33 recipient-associations in Bago City this year under the SLP, with total funding of over P17 million.
“We still have many organized associations in the city who are about to launch their respective projects. Like the San Jose Farmers Association, we hope for a successful implementation of these other projects,” she said.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Leah Pilipina Canayon also assured the continued support and collaboration with the community to help realize Mayor Javellana-Yao’s Asenso Bago governance framework.
“In unity, we will surely achieve what we dream for the people of Bago,” Canayon said, as she congratulated the members of the San Jose Farmers Association for initiating a beneficial project for their members and community.
Also present at the launching were Judee Lynn Lirazan, head of the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office and City Cooperative Development Office; Social Welfare Officer II and Livelihood Focal Person Rhoda Alvarado; PCUP Area Coordinator Edmark Sabordo; Barangay Calumangan Captain Roberto Saylo; personnel from DSWD-NIR and the CSWDO; and other staff. (MAP)