By: Diody P. Fadullan
Three recipient barangays of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Sustainable Livelihood Program gathered on April 27, 2017 as part of the Aklan leg of the National Program Assessment conducted by Ms. Evengeline Iñigo, Regional Coach for Western Visayas.
Last year, 54 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) recipients from Gibon, Union and Toledo gathered to form the Nabas GUT Sustainable Livelihood Development Association. The group decided to raise broiler chickens on their respective backyards as a livelihood. On August 2016, the members thankfully received their individual grants of 7, 214 in cash.
Deciding for a Livelihood
Asked on how they came up with such a program, “Mga six months namin itong pinag-isipan. Malaki kasi ang demand ng manok at maraming piknikan dito sa Nabas. (We thought about this for almost six months. Chicken is in demand because of the many restaurants in Nabas),” Juvy explained.
A month after, September 2016, the members agreed to conduct a training for backyard poultry-raising. Food, starter kits and hand outs were provided through the accumulated cash grants. Transportation expenses were reimbursed depending on the distance of the barangays where the members came from. This for them is for the value of fairness and equality. As to those from Union, the barangay where they conducted the training, they needed not to claim reimbursements as they just had to walk towards the venue. Enthusiasm is seen among the members even up to the day of the assessment itself.
A few months now, the Three Hundred Eighty Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Fifty Six (389, 556) Pesos has been all accounted for. The members would see to it that the cash grant is maximized for the benefit of each and every member. A liquidation report of all the expenses of the training as well as the initial resources for every member was even presented on the assessment. Each member received a set of Fifty (50) day-old chicks, starter feeds, vitamins and all other necessary materials to start a backyard poultry in their homes.
A Sustainable and Growing Livelihood
Today, the members have become part of a growing and sustainable livelihood program. Live chicken is being sold at One Hundred Twenty (120) Pesos per kilo while dressed chicken is being sold at One Hundred Forty (140) Pesos per kilo. With an average of Thirty (30) chickens sold in a week, each is expected to earn an average of Three Thousand Six Hundred (3,600) Pesos to Four Thousand Two Hundred Pesos (4,200) per week.
They would usually dispose the poultry in Thirty Two (32) to Thirty Eight (38) days even though it is usually expected to fully develop in Forty Five (45) days. Survival rate of day-old chicks is estimated to Forty percent (40%). Despite this kind of survival rate, each would earn an average to more than average in sales per week. This is all due to their great focus and enthusiasm in their chosen livelihood program.
With the significant increase in demands, some of the members would sometimes come short of products to supply their customers. What should be the solution coming from the members themselves? “Dapat siguro merong isang tindahan na ‘dun na ilagay lahat ng manok para mas lumaki ang supply. (There may be a place for a centralized storage for the chickens to increase the supply),” one of the members answered in eagerness. The crowd who attended the assessment agreed in chorus.
As the association conducts a regular monthly meeting, such a move from the members themselves will be further discussed by the end of the month. Gibon, Union and Toledo, the three barangays that formed the association will now move forward to form a cooperative of their Sustainable Livelihood Program Associations.