The Usbong Katutubo Indigenous People Agricultural Cooperative has expressed its gratitude to the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Animal Livestock, and Happy Hearts Foundation for the donations of agricultural products in Barangay Camias, Porac, Pampanga on December 7, 2021.
Chairman of Usbong Katutubo Indigenous People Agricultural Cooperative Pari Popatco said: “Kami po ay masaya. Hindi namin akalain na ganito ang ibibigay sa amin.”
The members of the cooperative have received vegetables seeds, livestocks, fertilizers, and farming equipments.
“Kaharap namin kayo ngayon bilang isang kooperatiba na. Ang gusto ko po sana ay mapalawak pa ang membership ninyo. This is a continuing relationship between the DA and the communities na ating tinutulungan hindi lang po sa katutubo,” according to Undersecretary for DA Attached Agencies Rodolfo Vicerra.
“Iyan ang gusto no Secretary Dar na makita natin ang lahat ng magsasaka to organize into enterprises.”
Happy Hearts Foundation said community in Camias, Porac town are not mere beneficiaries but a progressing community striving to build a self-sustaining area where each resident contributes to the development of the place.
Under the Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks) project, the DA aims to help the indigenous communities in the country develop and enhance their agricultural and fisheries livelihood.
The program aims to develop the Ancestral Agriculture Lands of the ICCs/IPs in order to improve its productivity, profitability, and resiliency; develop and sustain agricultural enterprises to improve their incomes.