DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 27 (PIA) -- At least 50 farmer-members of the Balinsasayao Twin Lake Farmers Association Inc. (BTLFAI) received P200,000 worth of upland tilapia kits through the Barangay Bayanihan, Ginhawa at Opportunidad sa pag Negosyo or BABANGON of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The BABANGON initiative is under the Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay-Livelihood Seeding Program (NSB-LSP) that promotes entrepreneurship, especially among the vulnerable sectors.
Balinsasayao Twin Lakes cover 12 barangays where farmers were reported to have been recruited by leftist groups in the guise of helping secure the farmlands.
According to DTI Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio, by bringing the government services in the countryside, it develops more entrepreneurs, including those in the hinterlands by providing the farmers with livelihood kits.
The farmer-beneficiaries also received a comprehensive BABANGON assistance from different government line agencies that include enrolment and completion of the Kapatid Mentor ME Program, a ten-module mentorship program that aims to inspire the micro and small enterprises to adapt their business strategies, e.g., rebuild/repurpose/retrofit, in responding to the challenges of the “new normal” business environment.
Alongside the "Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay" program, Gov. Roel Degamo together with DTI and other government officials also provided post-harvest tools like nets, banyeras, basins, coolers and weighing scales; materials for pond preparation; and feeds good for three harvest cycles.
The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) conducted enterprise development training cum upland tilapia production 101 and dried tilapia processing skills training for the famer-beneficiaries.
Member-agencies of the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster of the province' anti-insurgency task force have also assisted the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes farmers to access heavy equipment for pond preparation from the 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army; trucks, logistics, and heavy equipment of the province; and skills trainings from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority.
PAO also provided 5,000 tilapia fry and bags of feeds, vegetable inputs, and 30 native chicken starter kits.
The farmer-beneficiaries thanked the government and are expected to develop their entrepreneurial mindset to improve their quality of life. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from Krystle Jade Bato, DTI Information Officer)
