Insider Spotlight:
The program aims to strengthen food security and create sustainable income sources for local farmers and solo parents while boosting eco-tourism and disaster preparedness.
Details:
A ribbon-cutting and ceremonial cacao planting in Brgy. Kinalangay Viejo marked the official start of the project.
The initiative will provide 500 cacao seedlings for a future plantation, poultry kits for short-term income, and equipment such as chainsaws, grass cutters, bolos, hoes, and spades.
Forty beneficiaries will also receive training from the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Training Institute on farming techniques, livestock care, and wilderness rescue operations.
The big picture:
By integrating agriculture, income generation, and wilderness rescue preparedness, the project aims to create lasting economic opportunities while enhancing community safety.
Between the lines:
The program also incorporates psychosocial support, social education, and values formation—recognizing that livelihood success depends not only on tools and training but also on mindset and resilience.
Context:
BUSOE—named after the Aklanon word for “seed”—has been leading community food gardens, cacao farms, and rescue projects in Malinao, a town known for its cultural heritage and eco-tourism.
Flashback:
Security Bank previously worked with Angat Buhay on the Go Organic Kabukiran – Angat Nueva Ecija project, which supported Persons with Disabilities in organic fertilizer production.
What’s next:
Security Bank and its partners see the Malinao project as a model for nearby communities, aiming to spark a “ripple effect of sustainable growth and community empowerment” across the region. —Ed: Princess Daisy Ominga
