With the increasing trend and awareness on healthier food options, persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Barangay Cabugo, Claver, Surigao del Norte, are now exploring the market as proponents and recipients of a P1.29 million-worth native chicken poultry project from Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC).
A total of 55 PWDs who belong to the people’s organization Dapja, benefited from the project which is part of TMC’s Social Development and Management Program.
The project is aligned with TMC’s thrust to provide livelihood opportunities to different sectors of society including PWDs.
As counterpart, members as well as their families provided the labor for construction and take turns in manning, managing, and monitoring the poultry farm.
The structure also sits on a one-hectare lot owned by the group's president, Mr. Eddie F. Gasulas.
To ensure the sustainability of the project, TMC continuously monitors the organization with technical assistance from the Department of Agriculture.
“Dako ini na pamaagi na makatabang sa amo. Una sa tanan, way mga trabaho nan mga persons with disability so naa nay ila trabaho kuman kanang magbahog. Ikaduha, pag mudaghan na ini amo manok, mabahin man ang abot nan ini. So malipay sila kaysa wala gajoy ila trabaho tungod sa mga kapansanan (This is a big help to us. First of all, these persons with disability were unemployed; and now they have work by feeding the chickens. Second, when we already have many chickens, we can divide the earnings. So they are thankful, instead of having no work at home since some are handicapped),” shared Gasulas.
Kuya Eddie added that aside from the poultry farm, TMC also provided support for the land preparation of the area where they planted their cassava and sweet potato.
They utilize these crops in the making of organic feeds for the native chickens.
Gertrudes M. Dal, Dapja secretary, recalls how she visits the site almost everyday to monitor the chickens and prepare the feeds available around the vicinity.
“Dili siya sayon na trabaho apan gusto namo nga molambo ang poultry labi na gyod ang tagsa-tagsa namo ka kinabuhi, nga muangat sab kami. Gusto namo na naa sab kami source of income na ikadugang-dugang sa amo bana nga income, para sab makatabang sa among mga anak nga nanggi-eskuyla (It’s not an easy task but we want the poultry (project) to succeed and our individual lives to improve, that we will also be uplifted. We hope to have additional source of income to supplement that of our spouses and send our children to school),” Dal shared.
Gasulas expressed gratitude for the company’s initiative of providing livelihood to PWDs.
“Dako gajud karajaw na tabang ang Taganito Mining Corporation sa PWDs sa barangay Cabugo. Arang namo ka proud ug kalipay. Salamat karajaw sa TMC labin na sa Comrel na amoy naghatag sa amo nan mga idea para makadugang nan makapalambo sa amo kapununangan. (TMC is a very huge help to the PWDs of barangay Cabugo. We are very proud and happy. Thank you so much to TMC especially the ComRel team who gave us ideas for the development of our group),” Gasulas.
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