Empowering Kalinga: DA Usec. Navarro awards around ₱70M in aid to farmers and fisherfolk

Tabuk City, Kalinga – To help increase productivity and income, various farmers’ and fisherfolk groups in Kalinga received around ₱70 million worth of agricultural assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The assistance was awarded during the visit of DA Undersecretary Engr. Roger Navarro to Kalinga on February 13, 2026, as part of the province’s celebration of its 31st Founding Anniversary and 7th Bodong Festival.

Navarro led the turnover ceremony together with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources–Cordillera Regional Director Lois June Fermin, PhilMec Deputy Director Joel Dator, DA Regional Director Atty. Jennilyn Dawayan, Regional Technical Director Danilo Daguio, Governor James Edduba, Congresswoman Caroline Agyao, and Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Agriculture Chair Julius Amla, among others.

Assistance Given and List of Beneficiaries

With a project cost of ₱6,669,918.10, Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) were turned over to the San Francisco Cooperative–Rizal Agricultural Cluster 1, Culao Farmers Association–Pinukpuk Agricultural Cluster 4, and Parang Farmers Association–Rizal Agricultural Cluster 2.

Spring Development Projects worth ₱1,925,760.65 were awarded to the Bulbul Community Pumiyaan Consumers Cooperative and the Farmers Association of Magnao Integrated Local Ymagnao (FAMILY).

Two irrigation canal projects with a total cost of ₱4,939,116.30 were received by the Lonong Puapo Dangtalan Farmers Association and FAMILY.

To improve storage capacity and reduce post-harvest losses, corn warehouses amounting to ₱5,571,666 were provided to the Camalog Farmers Association and Rizal Multipurpose Cooperative–Pinukpuk Agricultural Cluster 1.

Multi-crop drying pavements amounting to ₱800,000 were awarded to the Calaocan Farmers Association and the Mallong Hillside Farmers Association.

Under the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF), the Manggawa Farmers Environmental Development Association–Western Tabuk Agricultural Cluster and the Tabuk Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative received drying systems worth ₱34,110,000.

To help members transport their corn products from farms to warehouses and markets more efficiently and at lower cost, a hauling truck worth ₱5,888,000 was turned over to the Cawagayan Farmers Association–Pinukpuk Agricultural Cluster 1.

Designed to irrigate at least 15 hectares of rice fields, a diversion dam amounting to ₱3,550,492.12 was awarded to the Lonong Puapo Dangtalan Farmers Association–Pasil.

With a total cost of ₱1,455,104, 16 units of forage choppers were distributed to the Organic Farmers Association–Pasil Agricultural Cluster 3; Calaccad Binal-on Small Water Irrigation System Association Inc.–Rizal Agricultural Cluster 1; San Pedro Agriculture Cooperative–Rizal Agricultural Cluster 1; the Provincial LGU Kalinga; and the Ileb Mannalon Association.

Through the Livestock Economic Enterprise Development (LEED) Project, assistance worth ₱803,375 in egg incubators and HDPE pallets was extended to five farmers’ groups and the PLGU-Kalinga.

Fisheries livelihood projects amounting to ₱619,229 were also granted to the Suma Fisherfolks and Farmers Association and the Balatoc Fisherfolks Organization.

Under the Heirloom Rice Project, support was provided to the Puapo, Bommag, Lonnong, and Upper Uma Heirloom Rice Farmers’ Groups.

Meanwhile, financial assistance under the Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program was awarded to the Manggawa Farmers Environmental Development Association and the Cawagayan Farmers Association.

Indemnity checks were also distributed to individual beneficiaries.