ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, September 12, 2020 – The Tampilisan Subanen Cultural Minority Association (TSCMA) in Barangay Galingon received 2,000 broiler chicks from the Department of Agriculture, through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in Region IX. The delivery of chicks is part of the FY 2017 SAAD Broiler Chicken Production Project worth Php 2,174.511.66.

The said project was implemented in three sites in Tampilisan – Barangay Situbo from the East Cluster; Barangay Sto. Niño from the North Cluster; and Barangay Galingon from the South Cluster. Their goal is to benefit all barangay-members in every cluster, or a total of 150 recipients.

The first batch of chicks (2,000 heads) was delivered on July 21, 2020 in Barangay Situbo, while the second batch (2,000 heads) was delivered on September 9, 2020 to Barangay Sto. Niño.

Present during the deliveries were the South Cluster Head Randy Discallar, North Cluster Head Emirita Pascua, SAAD LGU Focal Person Bienvenido Lumasay, and SAAD area coordinator Nadzmar Abdulatip.

About the Subanen IPs

Subanen Indigenous Peoples is a group that resides in the Philippines, particularly in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte. Like most tribal groups, Subanen IPs consider farming as their primary source of income.

Roldan Banua, a TSCMA member, said that despite having traditional farming techniques such as rituals, they did not close their doors to the farming techniques of today’s generation.

He stated, “We engaged ourselves into various training and seminars that the DA-SAAD conducted. It surely helped us in maximizing the resources given to us especially that we are novices on broiler chicken raising.”

About the Association

The TSCMA is composed of 200 members from the 20 barangays in Tampilisan. It is divided into four clusters – North, South, East, and West, consisting of five barangays each. Every cluster manages a different project but the income shall be accumulated in one system wherein all members shall benefit from an equal share of profits.

On July 30, 2020, 442 native chickens worth Php 385,700.00 were provided to the FA as part of the FY 2019 Native Chicken Project. In addition, 100 members from the North and West clusters were also recipients of the 2019 Swine Raising Project worth Php 825,400.00. ###

Writer:                 Aimee Lou Madjus, Information Officer, SAAD Zamboanga Peninsula