The Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Sur under Governor Auring E. Cerilles since 2001 has been promoting cassava livelihood program all over the province as a way of poverty alleviation to her constituents. 

Auring is serving her third and final term as first lady governor is determined that Poverty Alleviation as one of her Administration’s 7-point agenda be extended down to the indigenous peoples in the province. 

For two nights and three days, the 54 subanen-participants left their families in Lakewood to learn the Cerilles method of planting cassava which the Cerilles Administration believes it to be the key to alleviate poverty in the countryside.

Billeted at Bulwagan ng Kabataan, Provincial Government Center (PGC) in Dao or 5 minutes ride from the city proper, most of participants confessed that it was their first time to come to Pagadian City.

Provincial Agriculturist Marilyn Bersales and Agricultural technologist Ramon Rodrigo, Jr. trained them on how to earn more despite of having a small area to plant while supervising cassava livelihood coordinator Jothan Marc Agad facilitated the training.

The 3-day seminar was also designed for the lumads to know the different advocacies of the provincial government especially on Better Quality of Living which was shared by Board Member Eriberto Sumalinog and the fight against illegal drugs which Board Member Ernesto Mondarte had tackled.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Regional Director Abdul Puengan partly sponsored the training.

NCIP Provincial Director Marita Miñao, for her part, let the subanens understand the role of NCIP in the countryside development.

The Cerilles method of planting cassava can be effectively done through direct digging of soil in holes topped with organic fertilizers, according to Bersales. 

NCIP then distributed at least 3 three pieces of “piko or sarol” to each of the 14 barangays in Lakewood as tool to plant cassava.

The provincial government also had given away trichoderma samples necessary in producing organic fertilizer and t-shirts bearing the slogan mentioned above.

Moreover, for a better appreciation of the agro and eco-tourism undertakings of the Cerilles Administration, Bersales ushered them to the Organic Fertilizer Production facility with healthy organically-grown vegetables at the other side. 

At the Agri-tourism and Heritage Complex, the lumads visited the Subanen Tribal House inside the Megayon Cultural Village.

Finally, they enjoyed pacing the 4-stationed,119-meter stretch “canopy walk” by the mahogany trees suspended at 30 feet high then thrilled traversing the 154-meter long zipline facility.  (Remai S. Alejado/Zambosur Press Bureau)

Last update: 22-07-2009 17:12