Itogon IP organization granted P9.5M livelihood support

Itogon, Benguet – Preserving the indigenous community can be done through providing aid in maintaining their livelihood and supporting their practices.

This is what the Department of Agriculture – Cordillera hopes to happen in the region which they shall try out with Sitio Domolpos in Tinongdan, Itogon as a pilot area for their Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks) Program.

The program shall directly assist the Domolpos Ansipsip Ancestral Domain Indigenous Peoples Organization (DAADIPO) by granting them P 9, 500, 000 worth of packaged interventions.

P3, 600, 000 shall be allotted for crop production, while the P 5, 900,000 will be for livestock and poultry.

First phase of the project

Member beneficiaries of the organization shall be given Arabica Coffee and native pigs. They include 64 households.

In an interview, 4Ks Program Focal Person Charles Picpican of DA- CAR Regional Field Office said the community has submitted two proposals, one each for crop production and poultry or livestock.

The priority for the crop production are coffee, heirloom or traditional rice, and ginger production. On the other hand, the choice of the organization for poultry and livestock production shall be swine, poultry and cattle raising.

Nevertheless, Picpican emphasized the need to consult with the community.

“Kailangan pag-usapan with the Indigenous Cultural Community o ICC kung paano i-manage yung cattle raising project, kailangan ihanda nila ang mga pasture area, at magtanim ng mga pagkukunan ng pagkain at iba pa,” he cited.

Picpican explained the interventions to be provided to the beneficiaries shall happen after the approval of the proposal. However, it is required that National Commission on Indigenous Peoples validate them first.

“Bago maaprubahan ang mga proposals na ito ay kailangan na i-validate or siguruhin ng NCIP CAR na ang mga projects ay siyang gusto ng mga taga Domolpos Ansipsip Ancestral Domain,” he said.

Reason of choosing (DAADIPO) as direct beneficiaries

Picpican said that the community has only one Indigenous Peoples Organization which is recognized by NCIP-CAR. They likewise have the required Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan.

Back in 2019, the NCIP initiated a project in Sitio Domolpos but it was clear that the intervention was not enough. Picpican said they saw that the area still needs more assistance from the government.

Other pilot areass eyed in the region are the Municipalities of Tubo in Abra and Lubuagan in the province of Kalinga.

“At least 1 pilot for each of the five provinces ang target pero depende ang actual sa darating na funds so for now, we are focusing on few areas,” the focal person stated.

About the Program

The 4Ks Program, according to DA-Cordillera is a three-year nationwide comprehensive program intended to help in the development of indigenous cultural communities.

This will be implemented from fiscal year 2020-2022 and to carry out the project in the region, one community per province is identified as a pilot community to test the program before introducing it on a wider scale.

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