At 50, Arlene Haz, president of the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) of Cagang in Barcelona, Sorsogon, shows that women leaders can thrive amid the toughest of times. 

Prior to her organization’s engagement with the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), Haz used to devote her time in handicraft making projects as an alternative source of income. However, on December 14, 2015, Typhoon Nona hit the province of Sorsogon and devastated their main source of raw materials.

Instead of dwelling on their losses, Haz led the RIC Cagang’s 35 rural women members to find other means to support their families. Together, they started the PhP1.32 million-worth Native Chicken Production and Marketing microenterprise subproject. The said project was funded under the DA-PRDP’s enterprise development (I-REAP) component.

“Nagkaisa kami habang hinihintay ‘yung paglago ng mga materyales tulad ng karagumoy at bariw na magnegosyo kami ng manukan o ng native chicken,” Haz said.

(We agreed to engage in native chicken production and marketing while waiting for our main source of raw materials such as karagumoy and bariw to recover) 

Under her leadership, the RIC Cagang managed to sustain its Native Chicken Production and Marketing microenterprise subproject operations, despite challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and the series of typhoons that hit the region in 2020. This inspired other women in their community to cultivate the spirit of cooperativism and unity to rise above adversities.

“Bilang isang lider, tatag at lakas ng loob ang kailangan upang matulungan ang aking mga miyembro na umunlad ang buhay at mapanatiling matatag ang aming samahan. Tungkulin ko na turuan sila na ang mga pagsubok ay kailangang harapin at solusyonan—na huwag sumuko upang magtagumpay,” Haz expressed.

 (As a leader, courage and endurance are necessary to help my fellow members achieve better quality of lives and to keep our organization strong. It is my duty to impart to them the value of facing and overcoming life’s challenges—to focus on finding solutions to problems instead of giving up, in order to succeed).   

An embodiment of grace, resilience, and strength innate to Bicolano women, Haz continues to usher her fellow rural women to a sustainable future under the new normal, filled with new hopes and opportunities to attain their goal of high productivity and prosperous income. (Annielyn L. Baleza, DA RAFIS V/PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)