MISAMIS ORIENTAL, May 26, 2022 – As part of its Integrated Agriculture Livelihood Project, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture-Northern Mindanao (DA-10) provided 50 manok pinoy or native chicken with feeds to Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Cooperative in the 1st CAFGU Active Auxiliary Company-II headquarters in Mandangoa, Balingasag in Misamis Oriental on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Cooperative is an initiative of the national agencies, Misamis Oriental Provincial Government, and the 58th Infantry “Dimalulupig” Battalion (58th IB) to assist individuals involved in insurgencies with livelihood opportunities and equipping them with the resources to sustain them. The name of the cooperative was derived from the words Anlag and Ani, both of which are Higaonon words translated as sunrise (anlag), and harvest (ani).

On behalf of the Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Cooperative, its member Julio Romania Compas, received the poultry inputs worth Php 35,122.72, comprising 10 male and 40 female native chickens with five bags of grower feeds. Mr. Compas said he will be assisted by two members of the cooperative in raising the chicken.

Mr. Compas surrendered to the 58th Infantry “Dimalulupig” Battalion (58th IB) in 2019 and has been the primary chicken and goat raiser in the headquarters. According to Compas, he’s planning to sell some of the livestock after they have multiplied for meat production.

The chickens raised by Mr. Compas were corralled in an area in the 1st CAFGU Active Auxiliary Company-II headquarters using the chicken net, while his goats were left to roam around the grassy area of the place. The headquarters is near a flowing river, giving the goats plenty of water to drink.

He also has a makeshift incubator for the chicken eggs.

“Pasalamat lang po ako sa DA sa ibinigay nila sa akin, ‘yung chicken, aalagaan ko ‘yan nang mabuti para magawa kong hanapbuhay sa sarili ko. ‘Yun ang pinakamalaking salamat ko sa DA” (I just want to thank DA for what they have given me. I will take good care of the chicken so I could make a living for myself. That’s what I am most thankful for the DA), said Mr. Compas.

He recalled his life while being chased by the military troops. “Kini karon makatulog, makakaon, naa pay kaugalingon nga trabaho, naa pa kay kaugalingong negosyo pero didto wala” (I can now sleep and eat well and still have my own job. I also have my own business. But before, there was none), said Mr. Compas.

After the turnover of the poultry inputs, Mr. Compas and other soldiers under the 58th Infantry Battalion also underwent chicken raising orientation conducted by SAAD’s Veterinarian Dr. Dianara Celeste Ua-o.

The native chickens, sourced from the SAAD Chicken Multiplier Farm in the DA’s Research Center for Upland Development station of Dangcagan, Bukidnon, are expected to lay eggs by late July or early August this year. The stocks produced from the chicken will be dispersed to other members of the Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Cooperative.

For his part, First Lieutenant Vincent Mark Maddul, the Civil-Military Operation officer of the 58th IB, expressed his gratitude to the DA 10 and SAAD for the livelihood projects that have been a big help to these individuals for them to sustain a living and help their families.

“Itong mga livelihood projects na binibigay ng ating mga agencies, especially Department of Agriculture, is a big help for them (beneficiaries) to have a sustainable livelihood in support sa kanila na bago sila makabalik sa mainstream society, meron silang livelihood to sustain their living and also to help their families,” 1LT Maddul said.

(These livelihood projects provided by our agencies, especially the Department of Agriculture, are a big help for them to have a sustainable livelihood as support before they return to the mainstream society. Now they have a livelihood to sustain themselves and help their families.)

Ms. Lana May Racines, the SAAD focal person, also expressed her appreciation for the continuous support of the Philippine Army.

“When you are in government, service is expected. For DA, we serve the farmers. When EO 70 was passed by President Duterte, we appreciate gyud ang partnership sa AFP and Philippine National Police and line agencies who are in support of the EO 70,” Ms. Racines said.

(When you are in government, service is expected. For DA, we serve the farmers. When EO 70 was passed by President Duterte, we truly appreciate the partnership with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Army, and the line agencies who are in support of the EO 70.)

President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70 addresses the root causes of insurgency to end local armed conflict in the countryside.

“Ang SAAD is Special Area for Agricultural Development Program. It is a program of the Department of Agriculture na mag implement og livelihood projects sa mga poorest of the poor farmers. We appreciate gyud kaayo sa Philippine Army.”

(SAAD is a Special Area for Agricultural Development Program. It is a program of the Department of Agriculture to implement livelihood projects for the poorest of the poor farmers. We truly appreciate the efforts of the Philippine Army.)

“When there is peace, there is development. When there’s development, there’s poverty alleviation. When there’s poverty alleviation, makunhod nato ang kapobrehon, wala na’y mosaka sa bukid. Kon musaka man sya sa bukid, mosaka sya tungod kay mag-uma sya,” Racines said.

(When there is peace, there is development. When there’s development, there’s poverty alleviation. When there’s poverty alleviation, we can rise from this poverty and no one goes up the mountains. And if someone does climb the mountains, it is because he is a farmer.)

SAAD, according to Ms. Racines, also plans to give another batch of 50 native chickens to the members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary Company-II.

The DA-10 is continuously giving free agricultural assistance to uplift the lives of the beneficiaries in partnership with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). ###

Writer:  Jo Ann Sablad, SAAD 10 Information Officer