At least 84 persons in areas where the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) used to operate received on Friday piglets and feeds as livelihood assistance from the government.

The assistance is under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Sustainable and Inclusive Peace Transformation program (SIPAT), and is specifically for CPLA areas. It was implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“I will raise them, sell them, and I will use the proceeds as capital for my piglet business. If I am lucky and I get a female pig, I hope to make them breeders,” Nenita Daoile said in Ilocano.

Daoile was one of the beneficiaries from Barangay Lul-Luno of this town who received three weaners or piglets with an average weight of 11 kg. to 19 kg.

There were 34 beneficiary members from the Upper Luba Farmers Association in Lul-Luno, Luba, Abra who received three weaners each, or a total of 102, and a sack of feeds.

On the same day, 50 persons from Barangay Dao-angen, Boliney, Abra also received a weaner and a sack of feeds each under the same program.

Rosemarie Besas Tesoro, Agriculture Program Coordinating Officer of Abra who helped implement the assistance, said the weaners were sourced from breeders in San Juan and Tayum municipalities.

Under Ordinance 337-2020, Abra prohibits the bringing in and out of pigs, pork meat, and pork-based products, whether fresh or processed, as a protection imposed by the provincial government after the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in other parts of the country but “with the help of the provincial veterinary office, the swine were assured of being free from ASF and hog cholera.”

Tesoro said the government hopes some beneficiaries would go into breeding for an available supply of piglets to be dispersed, if needed, in the locality.

Mariano Gayyed, president of the Upper Luba Farmers Association, urged the beneficiaries to value their livelihood so there would be second-level beneficiaries to get the same assistance from the government.

Irene Barbon, livestock inspector of Abra’s provincial agriculture office, said the province continues to implement strict entry and exit protocols for pigs with stringent requirements needed to be submitted before being issued a certificate of exemption. (PNA)