More than 500 farmer-beneficiaries, including the 150 beneficiaries from the Pili Watershed Convergence Area in Castilla, Sorsogon, received chickens and piglets as part of the Malawakang Pagbibigay-kaalaman sa Agrikultura: Magsasakang may Alam, Laging Angat, Sagana sa Kita or the Department of Agriculture’s Mapagmalasakit Program.

Prior to receiving assistance, the farmer-beneficiaries participated and completed the “Back to Basic Advocacy Seminar” organized by the Department in November 2019 to ensure that the granted resources will not be put to waste. The seminar included topics on swine raising, chicken production, the loan programs of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), and the insurance programs for the livestock sector of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC). The topics also encouraged the farmers to use research-based and pro-environment strategies in their production.

According to the Agricultural Programs Coordinating Officer for Albay and Sorsogon Florentino Ubalde, the information and learnings that the farmers gained during the seminar last year will now be put to practice. He assured the farmers that DA will always be supportive of every step of the way.

The Mapagmalasakit Program is spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture through its Livestock Program and the Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI). 

The farmer-recipients were from Sorsogon City, Castilla, Pilar, Juban, Sta. Magdalena, Irosin, Barcelona, Matnog and Magallanes. 

“Nagmamawot ako, na sa tabang na dara kan DA asin ATI, malangkaw an saindong produksyon asin dilihensya, (I am hopeful that through the assistance brought by DA ad ATI, there will be an increase in production and income)” concluded Ubalde.