In time for the World Indigenous Day celebration, a P2.3 million support for abaca and banana production in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur was turned over by the Department of Agriculture – Caraga through its Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4Ks) Program to CADT 093 or Wawa Sectoral Tribal Council (WSTC) in Bagat Site Landmark, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur on August 8.

DA Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo said that the intervention will greatly help the tribal council and the LGU since the commodity requires less crop care and maintenance and can thrive with just enough sunlight and water. 

“This can produce so many financial returns for the farmers. In terms of processing, a semi-mechanize approach will be a big difference compared to the manually cleaned and harvested,” Dir. Monteagudo said.

Municipality of Sibagat Mayor Hon. Maria Liza L. Evangelista also said that Abaca is the municipality’s one-town-one-product and presently requires more support to boost its production.

“Over 90 percent of the inhabitants of Sibagat come from the CADT area which covers 20 out of 24 barangays. Through a dialogue we had with different agencies and the local farmers, I am very happy that our tribal council is very interested in boosting the production of the commodity pushing us to be one of the best producers of abaca in the region,” she said.

Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative[ep3]  Datu Lumad II Samuel Behing also shared his words of commitment saying that the council is delighted to accept responsibility for boosting the abaca and banana production in the municipality.

“The council asked for this project so we take full responsibility along with the assistance from the LGU, the DA, and the NCIP. The LGU targets 2,000 hectares of abaca production and we can be of help with our 20 hectares, and another 20 hectares also allocated for banana production,” Datu Behing said.

DA-4Ks Focal Person Edelmira Luminarias said that of the P2.3 M production inputs, 600,000 pesos was apportioned for 20,000 pieces of banana suckers; 600,000 pesos for 20,000 pcs. of abaca suckers; 600,000 pesos for 1,200 sacks of organic soil ameliorants; and 500,000 pesos for farm tools such as pole pruner, bolo, a hole digger, and shovel.

“Last 2019 even before the 4Ks Program was implemented, CADT 093 had already indicated its interest for the assistance of their banana and abaca production. However, due to its big requirement, it was not lodged into the regular program. Until 2020, the 4Ks Program was installed making CADT 093 as one of our pioneer recipients,” Luminarias said.

Part also of the implementation of the 4Ks Program in the region is the involvement of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) – Caraga spearheaded by Atty. Marlon Bosantog.

“One of the most important partner of the NCIP is the DA since the program that we have right now, looking forward and moving forward, is food security. The DA and the National Government have seen that we have at least 48% of the land and water area in the Philippines that are owned by the different tribes. Five million of which were already given titles and the remaining millions of it, even though they still have no title yet, are is still owned by them,” RD Bosantog said.

Before the ceremonial turnover of the production inputs, a thanksgiving ritual was done first by the tribal leaders of the Wawa Sectoral Tribal Council. (Kent Warren H. Fugoso, DA-RAFIS13)