Vegetable growers in Catanduanes under the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program received Php 100,000.00 in cash assistance to support their vegetable production in the town of San Miguel.
The assistance was granted in December 2025 to the San Marcos Vegetable Farmers Association, a Phase 1 beneficiary of the SAAD Program’s High-Value Crops Production in the Bicol Region.
Following the completion of SAAD Phase 1 implementation, the group was formally turned over to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Miguel.
They continued to receive institutional support through sustained coordination and linkage by DA-SAAD Bicol. The Program facilitated linkages with other government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which enabled the association to access additional livelihood assistance, including a Php 100,000.00 grant under the Small Livelihood Program (SLP).
San Marcos FA is also included in the Capacity Building and Livelihood Advancement Program for Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations (CLAP-SLPA), implemented by the Catanduanes State University (CatSU) through its Extension Services Unit. This collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Catanduanes State University (CatSU) and the DSWD Catanduanes.
Under the CLAP-SLPA, the association will undergo skills enhancement training in financial management, organizational leadership and enterprise sustainability to help ensure the long-term viability of its livelihood projects.
Thankful for the opportunities at hand, San Marcos FA president Ma. Leni T. Bañas expressed her gratitude for the support given to their association.
“Nagpapasalamat man po ako sa dakulang tabang na tinao samuya nin DSWD-SLP sa paagi nin Municipal Agriculture Office pati kan LGU nin San Miguel. Dahil man sa SAAD mas pusog an samuyang asosasyon na iyo an naging pundasyon para magpadagos an samong grupo. Gigibuhon mi po an samuyang parte para mas mapagayon pati mapa uswag ang proyekto na ini”.
(We are grateful for the assistance given by the DSWD-SLP through the endorsement of the Municipal Agriculture Office and the Local Government Unit of San Miguel. We also thank the SAAD Program, for standing as our foundation in organizing our group to continue. We will do our part to improve and prosper with this project.)
With the cash grant provided to the San Marcos Vegetable FA, the group plans to integrate swine production into their livelihood as a complementary enterprise to their current High-Value Crops (HVC) production. As of January 2026, members have started constructing a production area and procured six (6) piglets as an initial input to their project. ###
