Gov't programs against poverty featured in Dagyaw
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY – As various stakeholders in the province of Agusan del Sur convened for a town hall meeting dubbed “Dayaw tu Agusan del Sur: Maayong Panggamhanan, Pakig-ambit sa Katawhan,” it also opened a window for the marginalized sectors to voice out their issues and concerns, and were provided with answers by the provincial government headed by Governor Santiago Cane, Jr.
This is the first-ever Dagyaw in Agusan del Sur particularly in the municipality of Prosperidad; and second provincial Dagyaw in Caraga region. Alongside the dialogue is the Serbisyo Caravan showcasing the free services and products to the people by various government agencies.
Just this year, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), together with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), and civil society organizations, among others has brought Dagyaw in the provincial level after a meaningful same gathering was held in the regional level sometime in June 2023.
In her message, regional director Maria Loisella Lucino of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Caraga, highlighted that through the conduct of Dagyaw, every sector in the society plays a vital role in the discussion of relevant issues and concerns, and be able to contribute in providing necessary interventions.
Lucino emphasized that the Poverty Alleviation Program (PAP) as one of the flagship programs of the provincial government of Agusan del Sur which has been implemented for years has been uplifting lives of the vulnerable sectors in the province, especially the agriculture sector.
“The Dagyaw serves as one of the notable programs of the DILG that aims to level up the trust and confidence of the people to the government. This is like bringing the government closer to the people. This will serve as a platform where the farmers, civil society organizations, people’s organizations, utility sectors, national government agencies, local government units, and the general public can have open and safe discourse on the relevant programs; advocate further; and together shape and update government policies, programs and services that can lead to improve delivery of public services,” elaborated Lucino.
The DILG Caraga chief also expressed her appreciation to the people in Agusan del Sur for getting active involvement and taking steps in resolving the different pressing issues in the grassroots.
“We would like to thank the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur for hosting the Dagyaw. This is really a big program of the DILG, together with other national government agencies because this is where we converge and share our programs to the people. Warmest congratulations to Gov. Cane and to all the people of Agusan del Sur and officials,” Lucino said.
For. Ronulfo Paler, provincial administrator of Agusan del Sur, reiterated that with the conduct of Dagyaw, this has united all the sectors in the province, especially the Indigenous Peoples (IP) community from the different municipalities and cities of the province.
“This Dagyaw is just one of the many ways wherein the Agsurnons would be able to learn and avail of the government’s programs such as the Upland Sustainable Agri-forestry Development or USAD that has already been established to address poverty in the upland areas,” Paler said.
Paler further stressed that good governance prioritizes programs and projects for the benefit of the majority especially those in the marginalized sector. “Our target is to help those in need of our services as we continue to put substance in our mission and vision, and we ensure our constituents that the provincial government will leave no one behind,” he said.
Gov. Cane underlined that the provincial government has main focus areas. He said, his administration has moved heaven and earth to entice investors into the Province of Agusan del Sur and establish large scale agro-based industry investments.
“We are also strategizing for a one-stop-shop investment hub; development for the upland, lowland, and wetland sustainable agro-forestry development; and the establishment of tourism facilities and tourism circuits. We have already submitted our plans to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan awaiting their go signal, so that later on when we put in appropriations, easier for them to approve. The economic enterprise and tourism display center is ongoing, as well as the value-adding activities of local communities, and advanced firming technologies and new technology on pre-post-harvest facilities and equipment to increase productivity,” underscored Cane.
During the open forum, many of the IP farmers have raised their concerns and asked the government’s assistance to sustain their present livelihood.
Gina Mohado, USAD enrollee and chairperson of the Katipunan Agricultural Producers Cooperative in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, shared how the USAD program has helped their organization.
“Since November 2019, there have been some 36 farmer-members of our cooperative that benefited from the USAD program of the provincial government. We were able to receive the 20,000 rubber seedlings for the 40-hectares of land. In September 2021, we received 14,428 cacao seedlings that we have planted in the 20-hectares of land. We already started processing tablea in preparation for the cacao seedlings to be harvested, and soon we will venture into chocolate production,” Mohado shared.
Mohado also revealed that with the USAD program, they were able to reach an income amounting to P500,000.00 for the growing 38 farmer-members of the coop after they received another assistance from the provincial government through the 6,125 banana seedlings which they planted in the 10 hectares of land.
There were farmers and fisherfolk who also asked the assistance of the government on the provision of water irrigation for their farmland. The personnel from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) have also taken note of the concern for appropriate action.
Having addressed all the issues and concerns raised during the Dagyaw, the provincial government ensured continued collaboration with the different sectors to sustain the gains from the development programs and be able to help more Agsurnons.
Dagyaw is a Hiligaynon word for “bayanihan” or togetherness, which aims to bring the government closer to the people. (JPG, PIA-Caraga)
