LEYTE, February 9, 2022 – A farmer association in Mayorga, Leyte received Php 1.439 million worth of Ready-to-Lay (RTL) chickens, layer cages, and layer feeds from the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) to boost the Egg Layer Production project in the region.

The Cabadiangan Burgos Irrigators Association with 60 beneficiaries received two sets of interventions from DA-SAAD in January 2022 worth Php 1,439,000 under the FY 2022 Egg Layer Production Project.  Twenty (20) sets of layer cages and 310 bags layer feeds were initially delivered on January 20 and 23, 2022, in Brgy. Burgos. SAAD Leyte Provincial Focal Person, Dr. Nenita Sultan, together with staff from the Municipal Agricultural Office of Mayorga, and Provincial Program Management Support Office (PPMSO) Leyte headed by Provincial Coordinator Allan M. Brit assisted the delivery.

On January 28, 2022, 960 head of RTL chickens were distributed to the association to complete the project.

Table 1. Interventions received by FAs from SAAD

Despite the heavy flooding during the transport of the RTL chickens, 30 members spearheaded by association president Jerry Caidoy were excited to accept the interventions as they volunteered to carry the plastic crates with the chickens and eventually placed them in cages.

Mr. Caidoy gratefully expressed, “Damo nga salamat ha DA–SAAD kay dako ine nga bulig para ha amon association, ngan para han amon komunidad ha Brgy. Burgos.  Tungod hine makakapalit na an mga tao didi hin presko ngan supisyente nga bunay.”

(Thanks a lot to DA–SAAD [for this project], as this is a big help to our association, and to Brgy. Burgos.  Because of this, local constituents will now be able to buy fresh eggs and have a sufficient supply of the commodity.)

Mayorga Municipal Mayor, Hon. Alexander Salvador de Paz, also extended his sincere gratitude to the people behind the program.

“We are very thankful to the Department of Agriculture–RFO 8 Special Area for Agricultural Development nga an LGU–Mayorga natagan. Aada permi iton amon commitment, ngan we will always extend help and support to our farmers to show nga an mga investments han DA–SAAD nga guinhatag ngadi ha Mayorga pinapanginano para umasenso an aton mga farmers.  We still hope to receive more projects to help alleviate poverty among the communities in our municipality,” he said.

(We are very thankful to DA–RFO 8 SAAD that LGU–Mayorga was provided [with this project].  Our commitment is constantly there, and we will always extend help and support to our farmers to show that SAAD’s investments are closely monitored so our farmers will prosper.)

Mayorga, Leyte is a 5^th class municipality with more than 25% poverty incidence based on the latest data, SAAD Region 8 aims to continue supporting beneficiaries through interventions to boost agricultural programs in the region. ###

Writer: Divine M. Publico–Corsiga, Area Coordinator II, PPMSO–Leyte