Through resilience and hard work, the San Jose Swine Raisers Association (SJSRA) in San Jose, Romblon earned a total of Php 306,270 from swine sales from January to December, last year.
As the first beneficiary of the Swine Production Project under the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program Phase 2 in MIMAROPA, the association proved that the interventions provided to them are not put to waste.
A total of 82 head of swine were sold, with 22 of those raised individually and the rest managed in the communal area. The association adopted a dual management system: communal production, where members worked in pairs to handle feeding, sanitation, and overall care; and individual production under a 60–40 profit-sharing scheme.
Association president Settieh Mahideza “Deza” Sacapaño shared that the group continued to strengthen its swine-raising skills through cooperation and teamwork.
“Sa ngayon po ay medyo hindi pa po kami ganap na bihasa sa pag-aalaga ng baboy pero unti-unti pong natututunan namin ‘yon sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaisa po namin at pagtutulungan sa mga task na ginagawa po namin dito sa samahan,” she said.
(At present, our group is still not fully skilled in raising pigs, but we are gradually learning through our unity and by helping one another with the tasks we carry out in the organization.)
As a women-led association composed mostly of housewives, the interventions they received were not only a source of livelihood but also an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve their quality of life.
“Maraming maraming salamat po at nabigyan ‘nyo po kami ng ganitong oportunidad. Marami po kayong natutulungan, hindi lang po ako at hindi lang po ang ka-miyembro ko, kundi natutulungan din po ‘yong ibang taong nasa palibot namin ng dahil po sa asosasyong ito,” as Pres. Deza extends her gratitude to the SAAD Program.
(Thank you very much for giving us this kind of opportunity. You are helping many people, not only me and not only my fellow members, but also other people around us, because of this association.)
Reaping the fruits of their hard work, a total of Php 86,684 – representing 60 percent of the sales generated from June to December – will be distributed among the 27 active members. Meanwhile, the remaining 40 percent, amounting to Php 58,780.06, will be deposited into the association’s bank account. At present, the association holds a total bank balance of Php 119,287.80.
Currently, SJSRA is raising 17 heads of swine, consisting of one boar, two sows, and three intended for restocking, and expects production and income to increase this year.
