DA-10 SAAD program hands over native chicken and feeds to Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Coop represented by Compas.

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – As part of its Integrated Agriculture Livelihood Project, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture-Northern Mindanao (DA-10) provided manok pinoy or native chicken and feeds to Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Cooperative of the 1st CAFGU Active Auxiliary Company-II headquarters in Mandangoa, Balingsag, Misamis Oriental.

The poultry inputs worth P35,122.72, comprised of 10 male and 40 female native chicken and five bags of grower feeds, were received by former rebel Julio Romania Compas, a member of the Anlag-Ani Tapukanan Cooperative.

Compas surrendered to the 58th Infantry “Dimalulupig” Battalion (58th IB) in 2019 and has been raising chicken and goats in the headquarters.

“Pasalamat lang po ako sa DA sa ibinigay nila sa akin, yung manok, aalagaan ko yan ng mabuti para magawa kong hanapbuhay sa sarili ko. Yun ang pinkamalaking pasalamat ko sa DA,” Compas said.

Compas shared that his life was hard when he was still a member of the rebel group as he had to travel under the heat of the sun and the rain while being chased by the military troops.

“Dahil dito, makakatulog na ako, makakain at merong sariling trabaho at negosyo hindi kagaya doon na wala,” he said.

After the turnover of the chicken, Compas with the soldiers under the 58th Infantry Battalion also underwent chicken raising orientation conducted by SAAD’s Veterinarian Dr. Dianara Celeste Ua-o.

The native chicken, sourced from the SAAD Chicken Multiplier Farm in the DA’s Research Center for Upland Development (RCUD) in Dangcagan, Bukidnon, is expected to lay eggs by late July or early August this year.

The stocks produced from the chicken will be dispersed to the other members of the said cooperative.

For his part, First Lieutenant Vincent Mark Maddul, the Civil-Military Operation officer of the 58th IB, expressed his gratitude to the DA-10 and SAAD for the livelihood projects that have been a big help to the former rebels for them to sustain their living and help their families.

“Itong mga livelihood projects na binibigay ng ating mga agencies, especially Department of Agriculture, is a big help for them (former rebels) to have a sustainable livelihood in support sa kanila na bago sila makabalik sa mainstream society, meron silang livelihood to sustain their living and also to help their families,” Maddul said.

“As part ng Civil-Military Operations ng 58th IB, natutuwa kami na nagsa-succeed or successful ang ating mga former rebels tungod sa mga programs and livelihood nga gihatag ng ating DA,” he added.

The DA-10 through Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado is continuously giving free agricultural assistance to uplift the lives of the former rebels in support of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).#(DA-10 SAAD)