MOUNTAIN PROVINCE – The Department of Agriculture’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (DA-4K) Program, in partnership with the Regional Agricultural Engineering Division (RAED), recently completed the inspection of five agricultural support facilities within the Kadaclan Ancestral Domain, spanning barangays of Barlig and Natonin. Implemented by the Kadaclan Indigenous Peoples Organization (KIPO) under a reimbursement scheme, these projects aim to improve access and irrigation systems for local farmers, essential for sustaining agriculture livelihoods.
The inspected projects include: Lunas: Rehabilitation of the Lunas Footpath – PhP1 million; Chupac: Improvement of the Barangay Chupac Footpath – PhP1 million; Ogo-og: Improvement of the Footpath and Irrigation Canal – PhP1 million; Kaleo: Construction of Irrigation Canal with Slope Protection – PhP1.2 million and Banao: Improvement of the Charyangan to Proper Banao Footpath – PhP1 million.
Under the reimbursement scheme DA Memorandum No. 50, series of 2020, KIPO was able to fully manage and oversee the project work. The projects’ implementation relied on local labor, with community members working on a paid basis, bringing an average of 20 individuals daily—including men, women, both youth and elders to carry out the work. This unique implementation approach fostered a strong sense of ownership and commitment among the indigenous community.
Across all five barangays, the shared sentiment was the gratitude expressed for the Department of Agriculture’s intervention and support, especially the reimbursement scheme that enabled them to directly oversee the quality and progress of each facility. As community members expressed, “Intarima-an mi ta dakami mang-usar” (“We ensured that the projects are of quality since we are the ones who will use them”), underscoring the value they placed on achieving durable, high-quality facilities that would benefit future generations.
These completed paths and irrigation systems directly address the needs of the Kadaclan farming communities, providing safer access routes and essential irrigation to restore rice fields impacted by typhoon Rosita in 2018.
Stay tuned for more stories of progress from Kadaclan Ancestral Domain! By N. Akilith
