Amid the vibrant celebration of the Balbagan Festival on May 15, 2024, a significant event unfolded as a check worth Php10 million was presented to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Binalbagan.
The amount was earmarked for the “Banwang Panganay Integrated Kabuhayan Project” under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program.
The project aims to extend livelihood and economic support to marginalized beneficiaries residing in the remote areas of Binalbagan, designated as ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict) zones due to their susceptibility to insurgency issues.
With agriculture serving as its primary economic driver, LGU-Binalbagan aspires to transform into a thriving agri-industrial and economic center, characterized by self-sufficiency, ecological harmony, and societal progress.
Eight hundred eighty individual beneficiaries from 28 associations will benefit from the livelihood assistance.
The associations include Amontay Caranawan Farmers Association, Asosasyon sang Ituman-Maghat Bukidnon sa Amelis, Apitong Small Farm Workers Association, Bi-ao Laborer and Farmworkers Association, Bugalo Farm Workers Association, Cambungol Farmers Association, Dinapit Farmers Association, Hermit Habal-Habal Drivers and Operators Association, Women for Progress Association, Hog Raisers Association of Binalbagan, Paghili-usa sang Agricultural Workers kag Small Fisherman nga may Inisyatiba sa Barangay San Juan, San Juan Farmers and Fisherfolks Association, Asosasyon sang mga Bukidnon sa Barangay Amontay, Cabiti Farmers Association, Canmoros Nabuswang Farmers Association, MACA Farmers Association, Nabu-ac United Farmers Association, Sityo Omot Rural Workers Association, Spag-asa Farmers and Workers Association, Brgy. Amontay Farmers Association, Santol Panday Mason Association, Nasanagan Farmers Association, Golingan Farm Workers Association, Capaklan Farmers Association, Bi-ao Indigenous People Farmers Association, Paho Tamburong Farmers and Workers Association of Bi-ao, San Vicente Tricycle Drivers Association, and Hugpong Namulo Sugar Farmers Association,
“The DOLE livelihood assistance is not just a charitable act; it’s an investment in the collective future. By empowering individuals with the means to sustain themselves, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also fostering long-term resilience and self-reliance in Binalbagan,” said Regional Director Atty. Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr.
The various associations were provided with initial capital to kickstart a range of livelihood projects, including agri-supply and commodities stores, agri-inputs supply, fertilizer and commodities stores, rice retailing, feeds supply and variety stores, soft broom making, bakeries, and agri inputs and rice trading.
In pursuit of a child labor-free Philippines, 109 association members who are parents to child laborers will benefit from these livelihood projects, ultimately leading to the cessation of their children’s involvement in child labor.
Rodriguez is confident of the projects’ success, knowing that the beneficiaries from various sectors possess the practical knowledge, technical skills, and expertise necessary for the livelihood projects to prosper.
