For some farmers in barangay Cattubo, Atok, Benguet who were adversely affected by the typhoon way back 2015, the production and marketing of alstroemeria have contributed to the recovery of their losses with the intervention of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP).

Commonly produced in the northern municipalities of Benguet such as Atok and Kibungan, alstroemeria flowers are low maintenance plants that do not require too much pesticide. Because of its resiliency to adverse weather conditions, some members of the Cattubo Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC) produced alstroemeria over vegetables until they recovered from their losses.

Through their micro enterprise subproject on alstroemeria production, the Cattubo MPC received 22 meters of polyethylene sheet, six (6) tractors with farm implement, and four (4) water tanks.

Cattubo MPC manager Meana Calantas said that the recipients returned the total cost of the polyethylene sheets to the cooperative in an installment basis and without interest. The tractors, which were stationed in the different sitios where members reside, are being rented out to them at PhP100.00 per hour of use. Since they just received the water tanks, they also intend to rent it out to their farmer members that do not have sufficient irrigation supply.

Calantas added that the collected payments will be allotted as loan for the other interested members in support to their crop and cut flower production activities, may it be vegetables or alstroemeria.

“The farm inputs we received through this enterprise has really augmented the income of typhoon affected members and we plan to sustain this enterprise so that more of our members will benefit,” Calantas said.

The Cooperative has just crafted their enterprise Operations Manual (OM), which includes policies and sanctions on how they will effectively implement and sustain their enterprise.

Elvy T. Estacio (DA-PRDP RPCO-CAR InfoACE Unit)