Keeping up with its commitment of empowering men and women in the farming communities, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office I (DA-RFO I) thru its Gender and Development (GAD) Program, awarded a livelihood kit composed of free range chicken to the Sapsapang Women’s Auto Savings Group of Brgy. San Jose, Caba La Union on October 18, 2022.

The distribution activity was spearheaded by DARFO I’s Assistant GAD Focal Ms. Filomena Bugaoan where she personally handed out to the recipients 135 heads of pullet, 20 heads of cockerel plus 10 bags of layer mash as part of GAD’s support to encourage rural organizations to partner with the DA in its effort towards food sufficiency which should start at the barangay level.

Meanwhile, as a follow-up activity, GAD also awarded another set of livelihood kits to two associations in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur namely, the ISAC High School Batch 79 Farmers Association, Inc. and the Poblacion Sur Sunrise Poultry and Livestock Raisers Association where both associations were also given 135 heads of pullet, 20 heads of cockerel and 10 bags of layer mash.

The distribution were also attended by Supervising and Monitoring Project Leader, Mr. Richard Dela Cruz, and Livestock Coordinator, Mr. Edwin Navarro at Sta. Maria’s Sports Complex on October 19, 2022
According to Ms. Milagros Zamora, president of the Poblacion Sur Sunrise Chicken and Livestock Raisers Association, this program benefits not only the association’s members, but also the beneficiaries chosen by each member, who will continue to raise poultry and eggs.

She also expressed gratitude for giving them the opportunity to earn a living despite the fact that the majority of the members are unemployed.
With the said assistance, the associations are expected to start up its poultry and egg production enterprise, thus providing not only an alternative source of livelihood for the coop/association members but could also generate jobs for the community.