LIPA CITY, February 20, 2024 – Laying the groundwork for meaningful community involvement and sustainable agricultural development for Phase 2 implementation, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) CALABARZON completed all its target activities under Social Preparation (SocPrep) Component for local communities in its areas of operation. 

Throughout Fiscal Year 2023, program implementers of SAAD CALABARZON carried out various social preparation activities aimed at engaging and mobilizing communities. Proactive measures were taken to effectively communicate the program’s objectives, targets, and activities through orientations conducted in Alabat, Perez, and Quezon (AlQueRez Island) of Quezon Province, as well as Tingloy of Batangas Province.

The initial year focused on essential elements of SocPrep such as community assessments and capacity building for farmers. SAAD CALABARZON targeted 25 Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) sessions and 21 capacity building activities. Remarkably, the program not only met but exceeded these goals, successfully conducting 25 batches of PRAs and 30 capacity-building activities.

The municipality of Tingloy in Batangas, with a target of 10 beneficiary communities, witnessed commendable progress. SAAD’s sustained efforts led to the registration of 9 farmers’ associations (FAs) under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). In AlQueRez, SAAD strengthened five (5) FAs, assisted 9 newly-registered FAs, and facilitated the ongoing registration of one farmers’ group under DOLE, hitting the target of 15 communities. 

In terms of individual beneficiaries and community coverage, the program profiled 960 individual farmers and 25 groups in its first year, surpassing the targets of 625 individuals and 25 communities. Of the profiled farmers and groups, 356 were from Tingloy, and the remaining 592 were from AlQueRez Island. The Program embraced digital communication by launching the “SAAD CALABARZON” social media page, sharing stories and updates on program activities. 

For its financial performance, SAAD CALABARZON achieved an obligation rate of 97.84% of the Budget Execution Document (BED) 1 target, amounting to Php 18,976,265.12. Disbursement reached 70.16% of the BED 3 target, totaling Php 10,956,361.31.

SAAD CALABARZON Focal Person Mr. Wilmer S. Faylon attributed the success of the initial year of Phase 2 to the unwavering dedication of its implementers in empowering the communities covered by the program.

“Our program’s achievements are a direct reflection of the empowerment we bring to the communities we serve,” said Mr. Faylon.

A notable aspect of SAAD’s first-year accomplishment was its emphasis on inclusivity. The program made concerted efforts to reach marginalized and underserved communities, ensuring that the benefits of sustainable agricultural development were extended to all. This inclusive approach was reflected in the formation of farmers’ associations, where farmers collaborated to share resources and collectively enhance their community well-being.

Looking ahead to 2024, beneficiaries from four pilot municipalities are set to receive livelihood interventions and specialized training. Alongside these training, Information and Education Communication (IEC) materials will be distributed to guide the farmers in handling the forthcoming interventions. Alabat will receive Php 4,960,150.00 worth of livelihood intervention, Perez is expected to have Php 3,767,750.40 livelihood intervention, Quezon will receive Php 4,775,650.20, while Tingloy, Batangas, has been allotted Php 8,411,850.03 for beneficiaries.

SAAD CALABARZON will also expand its reach in 2024 to include four new municipalities: Jomalig and Patnanungan in Quezon Province, and Pakil and Rizal in Laguna. These new target municipalities will undergo social preparation activities with a total amount of Php 726,000 allotted per municipality. ###

Writer: Pamela Faith M. Garcia, DA-SAAD CALABARZON Information Officer