KALINGA, July 14, 2021 – In line with the multi-sectoral development approach, Kalinga provincial government leaders renewed support for the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program during the SAAD Kalinga midyear assessment.
In tandem, Kalinga Representative Allen Jesse Mangaoang and Governor Ferdinand Tubban backed the SAAD Program and guaranteed continued support as they encouraged the involvement of local government units (LGUs) to supplement the program’s needs in a bid for a successful implementation of programs geared to alleviate poverty.
“I hope that our mayors and councilors are present during assessments for them to also consider the help their offices may impart. It will also make them competitive resulting in a more competitive disbursement of funds of SAAD in Kalinga and Cordillera as a whole,” Rep. Mangaoang said during the assessment in Tabuk City on July 1-2.
Strengthening key actors of the program
SAAD Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) planning officer Leah Mon revealed the region has 12% disbursement as of June 2021 from its total allocation of Php 203,100,000.
Realignment and refocusing of the budget were done with the department’s goal of controlling the African Swine Fever virus and reviving the swine industry resulting in adjustments on project allocation among municipalities.
Movement restrictions due to the pandemic were met with delays in procurement and deliveries of interventions resulting in a low disbursement of funds.
During the midyear meeting, discussions with beneficiaries were held to explain the refocus of funds to avoid conflicts coupled with thorough coordination among partner-implementers to improve the services and output of the program. Close coordination and a community-led approach are continually emphasized to empower small-scale fishers and farmers in the province.
Strengthened monitoring was advised to identify the problems encountered by beneficiaries and improve the implementation of projects with most projects gearing for enterprise establishment for 2021 and 2022 and target markets of Farmer Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) to be identified.
SAAD Kalinga updates
The Social Preparation of Fiscal Year 2021 projects in the province was completed from October 2020 to June 2021 while deliveries of the first intervention for 2021 are expected from July 20 to 21.
Nine out of ten barangays that started in 2019 were identified to graduate from the program this year. The barangays include Ableg, Cagaluan, and Malucsad of Pasil; Dupligan, Mabaca, and Pangol of Tanudan; and Balbalan Proper, Maling, and Dao-angan of Balbalan.
Meanwhile, SAAD will still provide technical assistance for the farmers in the areas to reach their full potential.
In the province, there are now 46 FCAs composed of 2,657 beneficiaries given 45 livelihood projects covering 35 barangays – 18 are identified as End Local Communist Armed Conflict areas.
Under the One DA Reform Agenda’s 18 key strategies, the department continues to encourage active participation and partnership with different sectors in establishing more agri-based industries in the countryside, developing markets for agriculture products, and continuously nurturing partnerships with local government units and individual provinces. ###
Writer: Sheena Phine B. Pisco-Dayagon, Information Officer I, Kalinga
