Two (2) farmers’ associations that turned Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) assistance into savings, bigger flocks, and replacement chickens paid for by their own earnings now seek Civil Society Organization (CSO) accreditation, a step that could give them priority access to Department of Agriculture (DA) programs and support, starting with a hauling vehicle to deliver their eggs.
For the 7M La Victoria Farmers Association in La Libertad, that vehicle would ease a daily task: loading and delivering eggs. Members now carry the eggs manually, and sometimes load them on a tricycle, which means paying fare.
“Dako kaayo ni nga oportunidad para namo kung ma-CSO accredited na mi kay gusto namo nga mas mapalambo pa ang among negosyo. Usa sa among gusto nga ma-request sa DA kay hauling vehicle para mas sayon ang pagkarga ug pag-deliver sa among mga itlog. Kung accredited na mi, mas dako ang among oportunidad nga mahatagan og prayoridad sa mga programa ug suporta nga among gikinahanglan,” said president Yermalinda Abrasado.
(This is a big opportunity for us if we become CSO-accredited because we want to grow and improve our enterprise. One of the things we hope to request from the DA is a hauling vehicle that we can use to transport and deliver our eggs more easily. We believe that being a CSO-accredited organization will also give us better opportunities to access programs and support that can help us expand our business.)
Both the 7M La Victoria Farmers Association and the Makugihong Mag-uuma sa Poblacion in Godod received Layer Chicken-Egg Production Projects from the DA-SAAD Program in 2023, and both have grown them with their own money.
The 7M La Victoria Farmers Association saved about Php1 million in net income from May 2023 to December 2024 and used part of it to replenish 960 chickens from its first cycle. Rather than distribute all profits at once, it reinvested first, then later shared earnings among its 28 members, who each received more than Php10,000. It still holds Php481,173 in bank deposits.
Makugihong Mag-uuma sa Poblacion has expanded to 47 modules of ready-to-lay chickens, seven of which it bought with its own earnings, and keeps Php209,602.24 in bank deposits for the continuity of its enterprise.
These are the very things assessors look for. During an ocular inspection on September 22, 2026, Mr. Matthew Gregorio and Ms. Mary Jane Ventura of the DA Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (DA-PMED), together with Mr. Angelo Espinosa of the DA-SAAD Marketing Assistance and Enterprise Development unit, checked the associations’ documents and financial records against their actual operations. Gregorio said financial strength and sustainability come first.
“Ang una gyud namong ginatan-aw kung makapasar ang association sa accreditation kay ang ilang financial report, project sustainability, ug liabilities. Tan-awon pud namo ang solvency sa association aron makita kung financially capable ba sila ug kaya ba nila ipadayon ang ilang mga kalihokan,” Gregorio said.
(What we primarily look at in determining whether an association can pass the accreditation is its financial report, project sustainability, and liabilities. We also assess the association’s solvency to determine whether it is financially capable and able to sustain its operation.)
For the DA-SAAD Program, accreditation supports its goal of developing community-based enterprises and linking farmer organizations with government agencies, private institutions, and markets.
With stronger organizational systems and proven capacity to manage enterprises, groups like these are better positioned to sustain their gains, expand their business, and build partnerships for the long term. ###
