COVID-19 brought severe socio-economic effects to the lives of many. The pandemic taught us to keep moving forward, to adapt to the so-called new normal, and to continue to survive.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA)

The Municipality of Dimasalang is a growing town of Masbate, a transparent and responsive municipality and an aspiring premiere agro-industrial business center and tourist destination. Dimasalang is also known as a center for commercial and agro-businesses wherein nearby municipalities such as Palanas and Uson engage in trading, agribusiness, fishing, and tourism. The municipality is focusing on agriculture conducted on commercial principles using advanced mechanisms to produce agricultural products and services. Because of the increasing investment in commercial establishments such as grocery stores, bakeries, and the development of markets, there is also high demand for the production of table eggs in the municipality.

Suba Egg Producer Association in Barangay Suba, Dimasalang, Masbate was organized on June 7, 2018, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Sustainable Livelihood Program and was granted a Seed Capital Fund (SCF) amounting to Php 330,000.00. All the members of the association are plain housewives not earning enough for their daily needs to support their families.

During the process of organization, its members have the courage to engage in this kind of project but with limited knowledge on how to run the business from an operation, financial management, and organizational management. The members of the association underwent series of meetings, planning sessions, social preparation, capacity building, and actual training on how to operate the project. All necessary skills learned by the members enabled them to have the knowledge in this kind of advanced agri-business technology which is the sole purpose of commercial egg production.

The average net income of the association is ranging from Php 12, 000.00 to 15,000.00 per month depending on the production rate. Every member has their tasks and responsibilities from feeding, water management, vaccination, lighting schedule, maintaining the cleanliness of the area, proper waste disposal, marketing, and financial transaction. In this sense, the members of the association develop being responsible and having a sense of ownership of the project.

This kind of operation involving all the members of the association proves by far to be more effective
which is good not only for themselves but for the entire association.

Beacon of Hope and Opportunity

The Suba Egg Producer SLPA focused on developing the lives of each member and families, having the right knowledge and skills acquired from numerous training and actual experience in operating the business.

The association not only benefited from the livelihood they received, but they were also able to provide employment to the community by allowing them to participate in the distribution of eggs to nearby stores, consignment, and commercial establishments in the Poblacion and in wet markets. It provided them a wide range of markets which is good for selling their produced eggs. The SLPA now looks into increasing the production rate and a number of eggs to produce to meet the market demand.

Stores and households within the community also benefit from the SLPA for they can buy freshly harvested eggs cheaper than the eggs coming from outside the province. The SLPA ensures the sustainability of the project by continuously studying the flow of the market activity for them to be updated on the new trends, movements of commodities, and pricing highly needed for them to compete.

“Ang pagnenegosyo ay hindi biro, kailangan mo ng tatag ng loob, pagsisikap at laging positibo sa lahat ng bagay o anumang nagyayari sa buhay at negosyo, maraming problema ang dumarating pero kinakaya naming harapin basta nariyan lahat at sama-sama sa pagdedesisyon, tulong-tulong at mabigyan ng solusyon ang lahat ng problema dahil ito’y para sa aming mga pamilya “ ,Maricar Artizuela, SLPA President said.

“Ang pagiging responsableng miyembro ng grupo ay malaking bagay para sa ikakaunlad ng proyekto,
mapanatili ang magandang samahan upang lahat ay makinabang. Ang pagbibigay halaga sa binigay na
opportunidad sa aming lahat ay siyang makakatulong sa aming sarili at pamilya” , she added.

Sustainability amidst pandemic

The crisis affected the SLPA in so many ways such as procurement of layer chicken, transportation, and the continuous increase of materials needed in the operation that affect the price of the produced eggs. Also, for the past years, the SLPA’s resiliency was tested during typhoons that affected the production and increased mortality rate of the layer.

These challenges did not stop the SLPA from its operation. They learn to adapt and keep moving, turning these challenges into breakthroughs. The SLPA continued to operate. They surveyed other areas for a supplier and with their determination, they successfully found institutional and local buyers who will buy and pick up their produced eggs in the site.

The SLPA is now permanently supplying three of the largest commercial grocery stores. However, to keep on track and cope up with the demand in the market, the SLPA will try to access some microfinance to avail loans for additional capitalization to increase the number of layers and increase production.

“Napakahirap ng buhay nitong pandemya, umabot kami sa punto na ilang hakbang nalang ay susuko na,
ang aming grupo ay sinubok ng iba’t-ibang problema pero sa aming paguusap usap ay napag isipan
naming mabuti na hindi sumuko at harapin ang hamon ng buhay, sapagkat sa oras ng aming pagsuko ay
kasuno na rin ang pagkalugmok kasama ang aming pamilya, para sa pamilya ay kailangan naming
magpatuloy, sama sama at patuloy na mamumuhay upang my maihain kami sa hapagkainan sa loob ng
aming tahanan”,  SLPA President shared.

The Project Development Officer (PDO) and Provincial Coordinator provide technical assistance and support to the SLPA by accessing them to other agencies and partners that will help them to promote their project and further improve their capacity to operate.

About SLP
The Sustainable Livelihood Program is a capability-building program for poor, vulnerable, and marginalized household and communities to improve their socio-economic conditions by accessing them to every opportunity to increase the level of participation among program participants and harness a deeper sense of ownership for their development. #NPOJFR10092021 #PDOIIMasbateRC