For farmers and communities covered by the Department of Agriculture-Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program in CALABARZON, the first half of 2026 saw more beneficiaries being prepared for livelihood projects, farmers and fisherfolk receiving technical and capacity-building support, and agricultural interventions moving from plans into implementation.
These developments reflect the continuing work of the SAAD CALABARZON to strengthen farmers’ organizations and help communities develop livelihood opportunities that can be sustained beyond the initial provision of government assistance.
Under the Social Preparation Component, farmer-beneficiaries underwent activities intended to strengthen their knowledge, organizational capacity, and readiness before livelihood interventions were implemented. In the province of Batangas, the program had reached 100 percent of its targets for beneficiaries trained and capacity-building activities conducted, while Quezon recorded 118 percent accomplishment in trained beneficiaries and 120 percent in capacity-building activities, partly due to the advance implementation of an activity originally scheduled for July.
Through these activities, beneficiaries are prepared not only to receive agricultural interventions but also to participate in managing projects, strengthening their organizations, and sustaining livelihood activities over time.
Progress in beneficiary preparation was accompanied by continued implementation under the Food Production and Livelihood Component. Quezon recorded 290 percent accomplishment in beneficiaries trained and 250 percent in technical or specialized training, while also reaching 116 percent of its target for livelihood projects initiated and 226 percent of its target number of beneficiaries. Batangas reached 100 percent in both training indicators and 109 percent in beneficiaries, while Laguna recorded 100 percent accomplishment in livelihood projects completed and beneficiaries reached. These figures show the different stages through which SAAD interventions were progressing across the region, from preparing beneficiaries and providing technical knowledge to putting livelihood projects into operation.
The implementation of livelihood assistance is likewise supported by monitoring, coordination, and efforts to address concerns that affect the ability of farmer groups to sustain their projects. Across program areas, SAAD implementers continue to work with farmers’ organizations and partner institutions in monitoring production activities, assessing project conditions, and identifying needs that may affect production and market access. This reflects an approach in which the delivery of agricultural inputs forms only one part of the intervention, with organizational development, technical assistance, monitoring, and linkage-building continuing as projects move forward.
Alongside livelihood implementation, the program also continued updating beneficiary information to provide a clearer picture of the farmers and organizations being assisted. The Information Technology and Database Development Unit recorded 93.48 percent accomplishment in profiled or reprofiled individual beneficiaries and 78.79 percent in uploaded or validated profiles, while profiling and validation of Farmers Cooperatives and Associations both reached 100 percent.
The remaining gaps in individual beneficiary profiling were largely attributed to the unavailability of some farmer-beneficiaries during initial activities and are expected to be addressed during succeeding monitoring visits and other scheduled field activities.
Communication initiatives also supported the program by documenting implementation, providing information to beneficiaries, and bringing the experiences of farmers and fisherfolk into the broader story of SAAD in the region.
From January to June, the Public Relations and Development Communication Unit completed its target for regional information, education, and communication publications, including the Farmer’s Record Book and PagsaSAAD magazine. The unit also recorded 104 percent accomplishment in regional social media posting and 112.5 percent in published press releases through testimonials, infographics, feature stories, short-form videos, reels, and other communication materials that highlighted both program activities and beneficiary experiences.
Taken together, the progress in beneficiary preparation, livelihood implementation, information management, monitoring, and communication formed part of CALABARZON’s performance during the DA-SAAD Phase 2 FY 2026 National Midyear Performance Evaluation. The region received an overall rating of 99.50 percent, the highest recorded during the assessment, providing a quantitative reflection of the activities implemented during the first semester rather than serving as an endpoint in itself. The evaluation also provided an opportunity to identify implementation gaps and determine which areas would require further attention during the remainder of the year.
The results were presented during the DA-SAAD Phase 2 FY 2026 National Midyear Performance Evaluation Workshop held from July 27-31, 2026 in Zamboanga City, where implementing regions reviewed their accomplishments and discussed strategies for the succeeding semester.
The midyear assessment also showed areas where work remains. As of June 30, 2026, CALABARZON recorded an 80.57 percent obligation rate and 37.16 percent disbursement rate against its General Appropriations Act allocation, while some livelihood projects and beneficiary profiling activities remained under implementation. Rather than diminishing the accomplishments recorded during the semester, these gaps provide clear points for succeeding activities as the region works to complete pending interventions and ensure that resources already programmed translate into projects and services reaching intended beneficiaries.
For DA-SAAD CALABARZON Focal Person Manuel M. Dimalaluan, the accomplishments recorded during the first semester reflected the collective work behind program implementation.
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is a progress, and working together is a success,” Dimalaluan said, underscoring the coordination among program implementers, partners, and communities that contributed to the gains recorded during the period.
As implementation continues through the second semester, DA-SAAD CALABARZON will focus on completing pending activities, addressing identified gaps, and sustaining coordination across the different program components. While the 99.50 percent midyear rating provides recognition of the work accomplished during the first half of 2026, its significance ultimately rests on what the figures represent on the ground: farmers being prepared to manage livelihood projects, organizations receiving technical and institutional support, and interventions continuing to move toward productive and sustainable use in the communities served by the Program. ###
