DAVAO DE ORO, December 11, 2020 – Farmers belonging to the Mandaya indigenous people (IP) community of Brgy. Mangayon, Compostela received implements from the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program Region 11’s Native Chicken Production Program right before Christmas in a pandemic.

SAAD Davao de Oro successfully delivered 800 native chickens to 100 Mandaya beneficiaries, comprising 6 pullets and two cockerels worth Php 3,480 for each recipient. For this delivery, the total cost amounted to Php 556,716.40.

As supplementary components, 50 kg of feed, 8-in-1 vegetable seed packets, and assorted biologics were distributed alongside the poultry. Assorted biologics consisted of 12 sachets of multivitamins, 6 sachets of antibiotics, and three sachets of dewormer were provided to each farmer, given in a staggered schedule.

“Nagpasalamat ming dako sa ilahang gihatag sa amo isip livelihood, alang sa katawhan dinhi sa amoang barangay. Kay sa muabot na panahon…magamit para pud sa panginabuhian…para pud sa kabataan alang sa pagpalambo niini…[We are grateful for what they (referring to DA and SAAD) gave us as livelihood for the people here in our barangay. In the future…we can use it as a means of living…for the children as well once we’ve improved upon it],” said Elmer Villanueva, a beneficiary.

“Nakatabang pud ni sa amoang komuninad para ang katawhan dunay makwaan ug income…isip ginagmayng panginabuhian dako jud kaayo nig tabang sa amoa…nagpasalamat mig dako sa SAAD ug sa DA (It will help our community for people to supplement their income…it may be a small means to live but it’s already a great help…we are thankful for SAAD and DA),” he added.

Provincial veterinarian representative Gideon Casas Jr. expressed support for the beneficiaries, saying, “Kami pud  sa probinsiya magahatag kami ug suporta pinaagi sa amoang assistance…paghatag ug tambal, kung naay mga sakit-sakit pwede mi nila duolon, pati pud ang mga taga-munisipyo  sa MAGRO [We, from the province (referring to the provincial veterinarian office), will give support through assistance…giving of medicines, and if there are diseases, they can go to us, and to the people at MAGRO as well].”

“Ang atong native chicken program, medyo challenging siya karon na year kay tungod sa pandemic…of course nagcoordinate ta sa LGUs…para maayos siya [Our native chicken (distribution) program, it’s quite challenging this year because of the pandemic…of course we’ve coordinated with the LGUs…to realize the distribution],” SAAD Region 11’s Provincial Coordinator Jake Colina commented. “Other than that, as to the implementation and monitoring—that’s still going on.”

Now in the sustainability phase, it may be recalled that SAAD refocused its livelihood interventions prioritizing food production in line with the core strategy of the DA to address food security during the pandemic.

With COVID-19 hampering program implementation, the particular delivery was meaningful not just for the IP community in the area, but for the SAAD program as well. This reinforced solidarity and brought yuletide joy in a year full of uncertainties. ###

Writer: James Brian R. Flaga, SAAD RPMSO 11 Information Officer

Source: DA-SAAD Davao de Oro