After the three successive typhoons that hit Bicol in the last quarter of 2020, Jerom Pedrocillo, Operations Manager of the DA-PRDP-funded Albay Coco Geonets Manufacturing Enterprise, bared that the organization struggled to sustain its operations and provide relief support to its members.

“Grabe po ‘yung epekto, hindi lang po sa amin dito sa Libon, Albay kundi maging ang operation namin sa geonet production talagang tinamaan po ng sobra. Karamihan sa mga members nasira ang kabuhayan, mga bahay, maging ‘yung mga aanihing gulayin at palay. Halos lahat po talaga na-damage,” Pedrocillo said.

Pedrocillo estimated that damages caused by the typhoons have reached up to PhP500,000, devastating the I-REAP subproject’s Operation Area, where its decorticating, twining, baling and weaving machine were lodged.

As a result of its post-typhoon enterprise monitoring, PRDP-Bicol I-REAP linked the TTLPC with the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Financial Grant Assistance Program.

Upscaled under the Plant, Plant, Plant Program or the Ahon Lahat, Pagkain Sapat (ALPAS) Kontra sa COVID-19, Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita is a program being implemented by the Department of Agriculture-Bicol Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD). It is designed to enhance cooperatives’ capacities in the food supply chain through value-adding activities from aggregation, processing, packing, storing, warehousing, transport to distribution.

The project also aims to make quality basic food commodities and agri-fishery products accessible and available at affordable prices to the urban poor families. Likewise, the program intends to establish an additional market for small farmers and fisherfolks’ produce or catch thereby raise their income and guarantee stable price and supply of food and other basic commodities in high consumer demand areas.

Through the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Financial Grant Assistance Program, TTLPC received on March 12, 2021 a financial grant worth PhP1 million. The said grant financed the start-up cost requirement for the cooperative’s operation and maintainance of a Kadiwa retail market (palengke) or retail store which became operational on March 26, 202 in Sitio La Medalla Brgy. Bombon Libon, Albay.

According to Pedrocillo, the TTLPC’s engagement in Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita was as an opportunity for the cooperative and its members to recover from their typhoon losses. He also shared that their delivery services of basic food commodities like pork, chicken and grocery items expanded the cooperative’s capacity to reach out to communities living in coastal areas.

“Yan po ang isa sa mga malaki ang naging tulong na kumbaga naging daan tayo sa ating komunidad, hindi lang sa ating mga miyembro na makapagbigay tayo ng kahit simpleng tulong sa kanila, at the same time makabangon ulit at makapagbigay ng panibagong trabaho,” he added. He noted that TTLPC’s Kadiwa ni Ani Kita retail store currently provides a regular source of income to two regular workers. He also expressed his hope that through the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita, TTLPC would be able to regrow its working capital and resume its I-REAP subproject’s full operation.

Under the Enhanced Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita Financial Grant Assistance Program, eligible farmers/fisherfolk cooperatives and associations (FCAs) as well as community-based organizations (CBOs) may avail financial grants worth PhP50,000 to PhP150,000 (for Kadiwa Retailing or Type “C” grant), grants amounting to PhP200,000 to PhP1 million (for packing facilities or Type “A” grant), and PhP500,000 to PhP5 million grants for consolidation (Type “B” grant).

As of April 14, 2021, DA-Bicol has released a total of PhP13.6 million-worth of financial grants to 10 FCAs and CBOs in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Albay.

(Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V/PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

The Tunay Tapat Lahing Pilipino Cooperative (TTLPC) Board of Directors receive the P1 million-worth of financial grant assistance cheque from DA-Bicol Administrative and Finance Division Chief Rosario C. Sales (5th from left) and Regional Cashier Nelia Bustarga (6th from left).

Tunay Tapat Lahing Pilipino Cooperative’s (TTLPC) Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita retail store is now operational at Sitio La Medalla Brgy. Bonbon Libon, Albay.