The Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program CALABARZON conducted a series of beneficiary profile updates across the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon. This initiative aims to refine data used in assessing the effectiveness of the program’s agricultural development efforts.
The updating process involved a comprehensive review of the beneficiaries’ financial status, livelihoods, and, most importantly, their agricultural activities, including farm production and resource allocation. These insights provide valuable information on the program’s socio-economic impact and will help fine-tune future interventions to better meet the evolving needs of farmers.
Led by the Information Technology and Database Development (ITDD) unit, the activity took place simultaneously from February 5 to 21, 2025, covering 31 farmers’ associations across the region.
Specifically, the initiative reached 10 FAs in Tingloy, Batangas; 15 FAs in Alabat, Perez, and Quezon; and 6 FAs in Pakil and Rizal, Laguna. These associations engage in diverse agricultural activities, including goat, native chicken, native pig, and swine production, as well as tissue-cultured Lakatan and vegetable cultivation.
Arnel Parlonga, Information System Analyst II, emphasized the importance of the activity.
“Bawat taon, kami sa ITDD unit kasama ang mga area coordinators at iba pang tagapagpatupad ng programa ay bumababa sa mga barangay upang kumustahin at alamin ang katayuan ng pamumuhay ng mga magsasaka at estado ng kanilang samahan. Sa ganitong paraan, mas nasisiguro na angkop ang mga plano para sa tuloy-tuloy na implementasyon ng programa para sa mga benepisyaryo,” he said.
[Every year, we in the ITDD unit, along with the area coordinators and other program implementers, visit barangays to check on and determine the status of the farmers’ livelihoods and their associations. In this way, we can better ensure that the plans are appropriate for the continuous implementation of the program for the beneficiaries.]
By maintaining accurate and up-to-date beneficiary profiles, the program aims to maximize its impact while ensuring sustainability and responsiveness to farmers’ needs.
Furthermore, six remaining farmers’ associations in Jomalig and Patnanungan, Quezon, are scheduled for similar activities from March to April 2025. ###
