Indigenous people trained on banana production
Some 300 indigenous people called the "Bukidnons" in Barangay Toyungan, Calinog, Iloilo will soon improve their lot and increase their livelihood income through banana production.
The Bukidnons are currently undergoing a six-month capacity-building and livelihood skills trainings under the Japan Social Development Fund-Social Inclusion Project, which is a complementary program of the KALAHI-CIDSS project or Kapit-Bisig Laban Sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services.
KALAHI-CIDSS is the Arroyo administration's expanded, focused and accelerated convergence strategy to fight poverty. The program is implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
According to Alma Jornadal of the DSWD, Barangay Toyungan is 15 kilometers away from the town proper of Calinog.
Some P398,000.00 was granted by the Japan Social Development Fund-Social Inclusion Project to introduce capability-building and livelihood skills trainings for the Bukidnons, Jornadal said.
The program's area coordinator Erlyn Garcia said that other line agencies involved in KALAHI-CIDSS include the Department of Education, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, the National Council for Indigenous People and the local government of Calinog.
The Japan Social Development Fund-Social Inclusion Project gives impetus to this community-driven development project which empower communities through their enhance participation in community projects that reduce poverty.
(PIA/T.Villavert)