BUKIDNON, May 31, 2021 – Amid heavy rain, the Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) in partnership with the High-Value Crops Development (HVCD) Program delivered free-range chickens and vegetable seeds to the 90 Matigsalug Indigenous People (IP) in Kitaotao.

The IP are members of the Sinuda Multi-Indigenous Sectoral Farmers and Workers Association (SIMUSOFAWA) – one of the Peoples Organizations assisted by the 3rd Infantry “Regardless of What” Battalion under its Civil-Military Operations (CMO).

SAAD, in its commitment to support Executive Order 70 or the whole of nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), granted Php 122,000 worth of 202 free-range chickens and 15 packs of chop suey seeds, while the HVCD program distributed 15 packs of pinakbet seeds which will be established in the group’s communal farm.

The leader of the association Datu Domino Pangcat said it is their first time to receive livelihood interventions from the Department of Agriculture Region 10.

“We are very thankful to have received these chickens. This will surely help in the livelihood of our tribe. In our Peoples Organization, this is the first time we received interventions from the region and I hope they will continue to serve other people as well,” said Datu Domino.

The said project amounts to Php 122,000 under SAAD FY 2020 fund. It aims to help the tribe start their own chicken farm to provide poultry meat and vegetables for household consumption in their area.

The Matigsalug IP along with the farmer recipients of the free-range chickens from Quezon attended a one-day free-range chicken training at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex (NMACLRC) on June 3. ###

Writer: Ruth Esther Bermundo, SAAD Normin Information Officer