BUTUAN CITY – The provincial government of Dinagat Islands, headed by Gov. Nilo Demerey Jr., recently turned over egg production livelihood packages under its “Babaeng May Itlog Program” to different women’s associations in the province. 

This initiative of the provincial government,  along with the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), aims to empower women to be productive, achieve sustainable livelihood and contribute to community development.

The program is bankrolled by the provincial government’s Gender and Development (GAD) fund.

Local government units and stakeholders in the province also supported and provided additional resources, including the capability training of the members to bolster the full potential of the business venture of the women associations.

The Daisy Women’s Association (DWA) of Sitio Upper, Barangay Laguna in Cagdianao town, accepted 300 heads of ready-to-lay chicken and 10 bags of feed on Jan. 24.

The members also received three units of chicken cages and another 10 bags of feed from the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) and three more units of chicken cages from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).  

Provincial Veterinarian Aimee A. Jimeno commended the DWA as one of the reliable organizations in the province, stating,” Kining Daisy Women’s Association, kamo ang usa sa mga organisasyon na nagpabiling lig-on, maka inspire jud siya no, tungod kay ang tagaan ug project sa gobyerno katung People’s Organization nga andam, andam mo dawat, andam mo trabaho, ug andam mo alayon sa mga kauban [The Daisy Women’s Association, you are one of the organizations that remained stable, and this is inspiring because the government gives projects to people’s organizations that are ready and willing to accept, work, and help the members].”

Verina Ababon, president of the DWA, expressed her gratitude to the government for recognizing their determination  to help the community and entrusting them with the egg production livelihood project.

“Salamat probinsya sa Dinagat Islands sanan LGU - Cagdianao kay gihatagan mi ninyo nan project sanan gisaligan nga pwede mi ma-produktibo [Thank you provincial government of Dinagat Islands and LGU – Cagdinanao for the trust and believing that we can do something productive],” Ababon said.

Punong Barangay Julius Equibal also appreciated the livelihood project for the women in Barangay Laguna, saying, “Mapasalamaton kami na usa ang Barangay Laguna sa mga gihatagan nan mga programa sa probinsya sanan munisipyo sa Cagdianao. [The entire community is thankful to the government for giving this project to Barangay Laguna.].”

“This is a manifestation that women are our partners in community development,” Equibal added.

The provincial government also distributed the same egg production livelihood packages to San Jose Women’s Hope for One Movement (SJWHOM) at Catubig Learning Site, Sta. Cruz, San Jose, and Community Women’s Association of Barangay Santiago in Loreto town. (RLE/PIA-Dinagat Islands)