Women’s groups in Siquijor receives DOLE's livelihood assistance

by Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, October 13 (PIA)— At least two women’s group representing the informal sector in Siquijor received livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). DOLE Information Officer Jerome Alam said Basac Women’s Association and the Canlambo Women’s Multipurpose Cooperative, both from Larena town, received P260,000 and P160,000 each for the increased production of Squash Noodles and Upholstery and Quilted Products, respectively. Basac Women’s Association started Squash Noodles making in 2006 with the assistance of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) which conducted the seminar on the production and later on the packaging and labeling.   Since that year, the local government of Larena has been a regular buyer of the product for its Nutrition and feeding program in the barangays. Production volume was only 150 sacks per week with only Larena LGU as its major consumer. Alam said that to be able to supply the entire province, the group needs to acquire more equipment and raw materials, hence the assistance. The group has 33 female and two male members as its direct beneficiaries but counted its family members, habal-habal drivers and squash farmers in the community as indirect beneficiaries. At present, the product is a component of the municipality’s Nutrition Program, it being rich in vitamins and is good for malnourished children. Canlambo Women’s Multi-purpose Cooperative, on the other hand, indulges in Upholstery and Quilted products with 38 member-beneficiaries. The group also counted family members and the whole community as it indirect beneficiaries. In its earlier report, DOLE-7 has a allocated some P1.2 million for this year to fund various livelihood projects in Siquijor province. He said the budget is set to fund livelihood projects based on proposals from DOLE-accredited organizations and small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) but that those projects should meet the DOLE’s requirements. The office, he said is inviting interested organizations and individuals to submit proposals to their office. Forms for proposals are available at their office at Siquijor, Siquijor. He said upcoming releases are set for three more associations, namely: Lazi Triple M Farmers Association, Siquijor Association  of Food Entrepreneurs (SAFE) and the LBRDI Workers Association of Lazi, Siquijor. (PIA-Siquijor/RACalibo) =========== Feature:  Siquijor goes nuts on peanuts, pigeon pea production by Rizalie Anding Calibo SIQUIJOR, Oct 13 (PIA) -- Siquijor boasts of its crunchy fried peanuts as the province extensively promotes this commodity as one of its income generating venture for the marginal farmers in the Island.  The Bureau of Agricultural Research of the Department of Agriculture (DA-BAR) has poured in massive technical support in the local production, processing and commercialization of legumes like peanut and pigeon pea in the province. DA-BAR director Nicomedez Eleazar in his message during the 'Grand Peanut and Pigeon Pea Field Day' and Technology Forum earlier admitted that Region 7, of which Siquijor province is part of, has big potentials in agricultural and fisheries production.  “Malaki rin ang contribution nyo sa pag-develop ng sector na ito,” he said citing that agricultural and fisheries remain first in economic contribution and job creation especially in the provinces. Eleazar said peanut is one of the commodities in the province that the agency has been supporting for a number of years in terms of Research and Development and Extension (RDE) through the Community-Based Participatory Action Research Program  (CPAR) of the department. “We are promoting diversified farming and intercropping to help farmers get bigger income,” he said adding that part of the CPAR program is teaching farmers the right technology, good agricultural practices and even providing training on basic farm management like bookkeeping. Among the BAR’s projects in the province are the CPAR on intercrop of corn, cassava and peanut, Eleazar said. “Ngayon po ay lalong naging tama sa panahon at nabagay sa Region 7 lalo na sa Siquijor ang pagpo-promote namin sa local production, processing and commercialization of legumes tulad ng peanut at pigeon pea or kadyos,”  he also cited peanut as one of the most nutritious and favorite food and snacks of the Filipinos.   He said that big opportunities await farmers as 50% of the country’s local requirement of peanut is imported from other countries like China, reaching a yearly import of 30,000 to 50,000 tons. Some of the biggest peanut processors in Manila also need more than 300 metric tons monthly in shelled form at P50 to P60 pesos per kilo and unshelled form at a farmgate price of P25 to P28 per kilo, he added. He said the national review by legumes expert conducted three months ago has found out the good performance of peanut production in provinces so that their office is recommending on-farm trials and farmer’s field day in regions in partnership with the local government units particularly in the province of Siquijor. We hope that our program brings good results and impact in Siquijor, from the farmers, the peanut processors, to the families that would benefit from the province’s peanut industry, he said.  Peanut is one of the high value crops that actually ensure local small farmers additional and instant cash income during harvest, the peanut industry profile of Siquijor said. Currently, the Provincial Government is pursuing the industry in support to the province’s tourism industry. In one of the S & T-based Farm Field Day on Peanut Production in Tagmanocan, Lazi, Siquijor, Gov. Fua, while lauding the national government agencies' package of support and intervention to Siquijor farmers, has urged them to seek for more that would "revolutionalize the peanut industry in Siquijor province." Indeed, the governor’s call  did not fall on deaf ears as interventions keep coming. “Sa katunayan, na-irekomenda na po  naming at umaasa kami na maisasama na rin ang peanut bilang isa sa mga prioprity crops ng DA sa kanilang High Value Crop Development Program o HVCDP. Maganda pong balita ito dahil makatulong po ito  para mapabilis pa at mapalaki ang suporta at prioridad na ibibigay sa production, processing at maging sa marketing ng peanut,” Eleazar said. “Makaaasa rin po kayo sa Bureau of Agricultural Research na patuloy naming suportahan at sisikapin na pagbutihin pa ang aming mga programa, proyekto at serbisyo pagdating sa research, development and extension sa agriculture and fisheries para sa ikaunlad ng ating bansa,” he said. (PIA-Siquijor/RACalibo)