DSWD SLP Dingras beneficiaries are booming

ASSOCIATION president Gary Andres, 29, and Armando Vizconde, 64, at the mushroom growing house. (DSWD)

By Iryn D. Cubangbang

DSWD

AT Barangay Suyo in Dingras, Ilocos Norte, 20 simple mothers and farming-fathers turned into co-owners of mushroom production which now earns at least P600 to P1,000 for a 4-kilo harvest a day in the last six months.

This was made possible through DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program’s (SLP) Cash Building for Livelihood Assistance (CBLA) in the amount of Php 200,000.00 which provided training and Cash for Work.

Through this, the Mushroom Producer Farmers Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) was organized from the 20 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.

Aside from learning the technology from TESDA, camaraderie was developed among the members since the preparation of fruiting bags with saw dust and other materials. “Naragsak kami ta adda tulong iti Sustainable Livelihood Program ken iti munisipyo [We are happy of the assistance from Sustainable Livelihood Program and the Municipality of Dingras],” said Lolita Sarmiento.

The group’s hard work paid off after 45 days of waiting for the first mushrooms to sprout from the hanged fruiting bags. This was the start of their regular duty at the mushroom growing house for cleaning, watering, harvesting, and vending among the neighborhood and other customers.

The beneficiaries were required to deposit minimum savings in the bank instead of weekly repayment like other SLP modalities.

After three months, the group’s savings also financed their hog butchering sub-project which gave them an income of P26,000.00, at most.

Convergence strategy employed

Indeed, resources were pooled together from various institutions such as Barangay Suyo, the Municipality of Dingras, and TESDA-Marcos Agro-Industrial School (MAIS).

Through the initiative of a Barangay Lupon who is also a co-owner of the project, Mr. Armando Vizconde, 64, the barangay chief and fellow villagers allowed the use of a 9X9 meter-public lot for the construction of mushroom growing house amounting to Php 140,000.00 of materials given by the Municipality of Dingras. Also, additional bags of spawn were given by TESDA-MAIS.

Project Development Officer Fernand Pumbo will help the group tap other agencies that will provide other equipment such as dehydrator to develop other variety of mushroom products.

Comments

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City. (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.

Pagudpud’s tourism transformer passes away

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Retired Philippine Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr., owner of Hannah’s Beach Resort and Convention Center in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte passed away on Wednesday evening, July 11, 2018. He was 67. “He did not survive an open-heart surgery,” said Ronald Dominguez, spokesperson of the largest resort at Brgy. Balaoi in Pagudpud. Known as the architect behind the transformation of Pagudpud town as a premiere destination of the north, Mr. Nolasco put up Hannah’s Beach Resort in what was originally meant as a family vacation resort. The rest is history when it expanded into more than 300-room executive villas and cabanas, with on-going infrastructure developments and set up various amenities. As a result, hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists visit here daily. The resort is on a cliff by the beach, which provides a spectacular view of the sparkling blue lagoon. “Yesterday will go down my lifeline as one

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog