A broiler chicken production training-seminar was started in Brgy. Pantol on November 3 as part of the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Region I in collaboration with the LGU. The same training seminar is scheduled on November 4 in San Gabriel 1^st.

Arlene Sison, Project Development Officer of DSWD Region I (San Fernando, La Union) and her staff opened the affair by introducing the trainors and LGU representatives to the 15 trainees who registered for the pilot project. The trainees are all 4Ps beneficiaries.

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Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Lerma Padagas, in her inspirational speech, told the trainees that “the conditional cash transfer you receive every two months is not forever. If you use it up, then it’s gone, unlike this project na bibigyan kayo ng puhunan.”

The condition set by the project, explained Padagas, is for the trainees to grow 1,000 one-day-old broiler chicks – hopefully with no mortalities – so they can sell them later on in the market.

Department of Agriculture’s (DA) resident technologist Joselito Rosario also welcomed the participants by recounting how the DSWD tapped the DA for assistance in this project. “You are lucky to receive this blessing. Walang ganitong project sa DA,” he said.

Sison explained that the starter kit’s budget for both Pantol and San Gabriel is P383,000+, to cover for expenses for the chicks, feeds, and housing. The 4Ps are expected to grow the chicks to maturity for 35 days.

The trainor tapped for this experimental livelihood project was Orlando A. Flores, who is Area Manager of Sunjin Philippines Corp., a multinational supplier of feeds and livestock care products based in Norzagaray, Bulacan. For about three hours, he discussed the basics of broiler management. After the seminar, the site earmarked for the housing of broiler chicks was inspected by the DSWD team and the trainor. Part of the cash outlay was also handed over by Sison to the trainees’ designated treasurer.

Pantol Kagawad Elsie Mercado volunteered her house as the venue of the day’s event. (Bayambang PIO/Media Affairs)