DIFFUN, QUIRINO, (PNA) — Some 53 Indigenous People (IP) of this town were recently provided with P292,000 worth of livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment–Regional Office No. 2 (DOLE 2).
The recipients — farmers and members of the Isidro Paredes Tribal Association (IPTA) — can now enhance their existing vermi organic fertilizer production, according to DOLE 2 regional director Sixto T. Rodriguez, Jr.
“The livelihood assistance, which is funded under the community–based enterprise development project of the DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), is a manifestation of our support to the workers in the informal sector specially the indigenous people. It aims to increase their income and generate employment opportunity among them,” Rodriguez said.
The recipients, in which farming is their main source of income, started to produce organic fertilizer manually in 2010 with the assistance of the municipality of Diffun and National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP). Their production were only sold to the IPTA members.
The project uses biodegradable waste coming from the public market of Diffun and farms of the recipients as raw materials. With the enhancement fund coming from DOLE 2, some of their vermicompost organic fertilizer production, can now be sold outside the association.
Agriculturists say organic fertilizer is the answer to the increasing cost of synthetic or inorganic fertilizers. The use of this product will reduce the cost of producing agricultural crops thereby increasing income of the farmers.
Meanwhile, Theresa Ronquillo, head of the DOLE Quirino Field Office said, other agencies like the LGU-Diffun, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the NCIP will also have their share in the implementation of the project of IPTA.
The DILP is the DOLE’s contribution to the Aquino Administration’s national agenda of reducing poverty through the promotion of livelihood and entrepreneurship and transforming them into community enterprises through convergence of services. It envisions productive, gainful and secure community employment to disadvantaged and vulnerable workers in the informal economy.
DILP also endeavors to transform the Philippine society so that every Filipino can enjoy a better and dignified quality of life, consistent with the national goals of inclusive growth, poverty alleviation and job creation.