BANGUED, Abra (PIA) – More than 20 programs and other assistance to empower communities are in the pipeline for at least six Abra towns next year.

Said interventions that include skills trainings and livelihood assistance were identified during the DOST-led Government Partnership Project Consultation for FY 2024 held recently at the ASIST-Bangued Campus Social Hall.

This consultation meeting was participated by National Line Agencies (NGAs) and Local Government Units (LGUs) which are 5th - 6th class municipalities and are common priority beneficiaries of NGAs next year.

DOST Abra OIC-Provincial Director Aileen Malangen shared that the activity aims to foster convergence among LGUs and NGAs to maximize efforts and resources towards poverty alleviation and inclusive and sustainable development of communities.

“While we aim for something big, we think of something small na unti-unti ket mabalin tayo nga mapa-dakkel, [While we aim for something big, we think of something small that we can eventually develop to something bigger]” she added.

During the consultation meeting, representatives from the LGUs of Dolores, Luba, Lagayan, La Paz, Sallapadan, and Villaviciosa presented their salient needs such as decreasing the cost of farm inputs and increasing farmers’ profit, livelihood facilities and trainings, solid waste management, installation of rain gauges and other warning devices, and feeding programs, among others.

In response, the NGAs also discussed convergence activities and programs that can address the identified LGU concerns.

The municipality of Sallapadan will benefit from skills training on bamboo craft, furniture making, business management, eBPLS and data management, and GIS mapping. DOST with the University of Abra also committed testing of potable water and soil analysis.

Two entrepreneurial trainings and one skills training are scheduled on the 3rd quarter of 2024 for communities in Luba. E-nutribuns were committed to support the feeding program of the municipality.

The LGU Lagayan will also benefit from skills training on mango processing scheduled on the 2nd quarter of 2024. A loom weaving training will be conducted and e-nutribuns will also be given to aid in their feeding programs.

For Villaviciosa, skills trainings on ube processing and meat processing will be conducted next year. Equipment for ube processing will also be provided through DOLE. A drip irrigation technology was also offered by the DOST for their tree propagation nursery.

La Paz will have trainings on solid waste management on natural feed formulation next year while Dolores will also receive data management trainings from the DICT.

Other discussions during the meeting revolved around five components which are Health and Nutrition, Environmental Protection and Conservation, Human Resource Development, Economic Development, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.

The Government Partnership Project Consultation for FY 2024 is part of the Community Empowerment Thru Science and Technology program of the DOST. This aims to help in the national government’s poverty alleviation efforts by establishing solutions and fostering convergence of different government offices.(JJPM-PIA CAR, Abra)