Fishing is a main source of food and income for many households in Catanduanes. It lies within the Pacific Ocean, which is home to a wide variety of marine resources and coastal communities. However, during the habagat season, the same waters they depend on can become too rough to rely on. Strong winds and large waves can force fishing boats to remain ashore. For households that rely on fishing and other sea-based activities, each day without sailing means little to no income.
In Sitio Bitaogan, this reality highlighted the importance of having another livelihood to fall back on. For the 25 members of the Bitaogan Poultry Raisers Association (BPRA), poultry production under the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program has become a source of support during periods when unfavorable weather affects the community’s usual means of living.
While fishers waited for calmer waters, BPRA members continued tending their poultry and collecting eggs, a livelihood that remained within reach even when sea activities had to stop temporarily. More than having a source of income, the poultry enterprise gave the association an opportunity to extend support to the community where they live.
On August 1, 2026, through the initiative of BPRA President Grace Butial, members held a feeding activity for residents of their community. Using part of their poultry produce, the group prepared boiled eggs to complement macaroni soup, offering residents a warm meal as they dealt with the effects of Habagat.
According to BPRA President Grace Butial, the activity was not simply about distributing food. It was a way of sharing the benefits of a livelihood that had continued to provide for them at a time when other sources of income had become uncertain:
“Kinua mi ang pagkakataon na ini na makatuwang sa samong kapwa. Kakusogan talaga na daing hanapbuhay; mamati mo talaga ang tios, maski pambakal na sana nin bagas. Base sa sakong paghiling sa balita awat pa ang bago ini matapos na habagat, kaya kaipuhan talagang maghigos pati maghingoha.”
(We took the opportunity to help people in our community. A lot of us here struggle because of our measly income. From what I heard from the news, the habagat season will persist for a long time, thus the need to work smart and prepare.)
A week later, as unfavorable weather conditions persisted, the association also turned its attention to the needs of its 25 members and their respective families. Each member received five kilograms of rice, noodles, canned goods, and Php 500 in cash assistance to help them meet daily household needs amid livelihood disruptions caused by the weather.
For families facing uncertain days of income, the assistance offered practical relief, from having rice and other food available at home to having a small amount of cash for immediate necessities.
BPRA’s experience showed that poultry production could mean much more than selling eggs and earning additional income. It became a pillar that members could lean on when circumstances beyond their control made their other livelihoods difficult.
The DA-SAAD Program provided the association with the opportunity and resources to establish its poultry enterprise. Sustaining it, however, has required the members to work collectively. Their continued effort in caring for the poultry, improving production, and making decisions as an association has allowed the livelihood to continue to serve its purpose.
Their experience also shows how a livelihood intervention can create an impact beyond its intended beneficiaries. By keeping their enterprise productive, BPRA was able not only to support its members but also to share part of what they had with their neighbors.
For coastal communities, the arrival of the Habagat, typhoons, and other weather disturbances is an unavoidable part of life. Families cannot control when winds will strengthen, when waves will rise, or when it will become unsafe for fishermen to leave the shore. ###
Source: Efren Z. Tablizo, Jr., DA- SAAD Community Development Officer II
