The Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Sustainable Livelihood Program has launched two livelihood projects in Sitio Balatogan, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
The Balatogan Indigenous People’s Association held the opening and ribbon cutting of a Rice and Corn Milling Services, while the Asosasyon sang Mangunguma Sa Balatogan also opened its Agricultural Farm Inputs and Products Trading, the DSWD said in a press release Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The two Sustainable Livelihood Associations organized by the DSWD through the Sustainable Livelihood Program were funded under the Regular General Appropriations Act 2024.
Each association received P600,000 for their projects.
The primary source of income of the residents is farming and selling of agricultural crops like rice, corn, banana, peanuts and sweet potatoes, the press release said.
Livestock raising is their secondary source of livelihoods, so the program participants prioritized the Rice and Corn Milling Services and Agricultural Farm Inputs and Products Trading.
Sitio Balatogan, Brgy. Buanavista is a remote area located 10 kilometers away from Himamaylan City proper. Reaching the project site in Sitio Balatogan requires three to four hours of walking, horseback riding and crossing the wide Calubay River.*