The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office XI, through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), formalized a partnership between the San Antonio Farmers Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) SLP Association and the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI) Regional Training Center through a ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing which took place on January 24, 2024 in Santa Maria, Davao Occidental.

Alongside this agreement, the association received an additional P100,000.00 funding from DA-ATI, aimed at further expanding their vegetable production project.

Apart from the financial assistance received, DA-ATI will also help ensure the project’s sustainability through its technical assistance and monitoring in collaboration with the DSWD, PCA, and the local government unit.

Key attendees at the event included DSWD XI Promotive Services Division Chief, Merlinda A. Paragamac; DA-ATI Center Manager, Alicia Rose Nebreja; Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Regional Manager, Juvy T. Alayon; Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office Head, Romelyn Magallanes; and the President of the SLP Association, Armando Malidan.

The association is composed of 30 farmers who were endorsed by PCA. Through the Zero Hunger Program Convergence Budgeting,the organized SLPA received P450,000.00 worth of livelihood capital from DSWD XI last November 2023, then later endorsed to DA-ATI for additional financial assistance.

This effort is part of the SLP Zero Hunger Program Convergence Budgeting, a government effort to consolidate resources from various national government agencies for the capacity building of community-based organizations,  farmers, fisherfolks and households in both urban and rural areas to promote thriving livelihoods.