GAPAS Award Writeup from DSWD Region 1

BAYAMBANG:          Bayang ang Yaman ay Mamamayang Bumangon at Nagsumikap Guminhawa

Bayambang is a bustling first-class municipality in the southern part of Central Pangasinan (3rd District) with a population of 118,205 as of 2015. On the same year when the second round household assessment of Listahanan / National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) was conducted, 5,913 were identified poor from the 22,649 assessed households.

The major sources of livelihood in Bayambang are farming and freshwater catch raising. The town is a part of the great Central Luzon plain where the Agno River drains, making the 12,225 hectares of arable land very fertile and conducive to farming.

One of the goals of the Municipality is to enhance the quality of life of the local people. This translates to the improvement and easy access of social services for the poor, disadvantaged and marginalized sector. This goal was strengthened through the partnership of the LGU with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 and other partner stakeholders through the years.

Annual Livelihood Investment Program

Annually, the Local Government of Bayambang allots PhP1.5 million for livelihood programs under its Annual Investment Program (AIP). This is mainly utilized for the skills and technical trainings of unemployed constituents to develop and hasten their skills on sustainable livelihood projects in the promotion of employment opportunities.

For 2018, the Local Government Unit (LGU) has allocated an additional PhP30 million for its livelihood program for the implementation of gender-responsive sustainable income-generating projects and social protection programs for farmers, fisherfolks, and out-of-school youths.

Partnership Initiatives

Highlighting the micro-enterprise partnership projects with DSWD in the Municipality of Bayambang from 2016 to 2018, a total of 930 participants were served under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD. Nineteen (19) SLP Associations and one (1) cooperative were established to have legal identities and to have access to financial institutions and programs and services of other partner stakeholders like the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), and Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation, Incorporated (KKBFI), among others.

The Municipality also initiated partnership with the Provincial Government of Pangasinan and the Department of Agriculture for the establishment of barangay nurseries, community gardens, livestock vaccination, and distribution of farm supplies, equipment, and machineries that helped the farmers increased their yields.

COOPeration leading to COOPerative development

The Masagana SLP Producers Cooperative of Bayambang, accredited by the CDA on 15 February 2018, is a growing business entity run by 23 Pantawid Pamilya sewers.

The SLP participants who completed a month-long Skills Training on Dressmaking on 22 December 2017 and received starter kits were later organized into an Association.  The meals and snacks of the trainees were shouldered by the LGU while the training venue was sponsored by the KKBFI, a private institution helping the LGU provide the needed socio-economic assistance in the municipality.

Applying the learnings during the training, the Association was able to produce quality doormats, eco bags, bed sheets, and quilted sofa sheets which are sold at very affordable prices.

With the LGU’s Ordinance No. 19 Series of 2017 regulating the use of plastic cellophanes, sando bags, and polysterene, the Association was tapped as the sole eco-bag supplier for various LGU activities. The LGU endorsed the products to adjacent LGUs. The KKBFI also tapped the Association as its exclusive eco-bag supplier while helping them bridge their products to wider market opportunities.

The DTI provided technical assistance on the use of social media for the promotion of the Cooperative’s products.

As an additional assistance to the Cooperative, the LGU passed Resolution No. 79, Series of 2018 other known as “Resolution Designating a Cooperative Mini-factory Including Separate Electric Lines in Barangay Pantol”. The said mini-factory that officially started operating on 22 November 2018 houses 15 sewing machines and sewing materials needed for the production of the Cooperative’s products. Likewise, it is used as the Barangay Evacuation Center during disaster.

Last year, the Cooperative generated an income of PhP120,000.00 which was divided equally among its members.

Budding Businesses

Apart from the cooperative, various SLP associations that were organized and funded by the DSWD-SLP have received assistance from the LGU.

The Broiler Raisers SLP Association established in 2016 received additional livelihood assistance through fish cages and jetmatic pump from the LGU and BFAR for its tilapia aquaculture business. The members were later trained on mushroom production by the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) in partnership with Tarlac Agriculture University for additional income.

The Manambong Sur Fisherfolks SLP Association completed the Skills Training on Carabao-based Enterprise in partnership with the PCC. The LGU provided the carabao pen of the livestock. To increase the Association’s income, it also ventured in tilapia aquaculture business. The BFAR provided tilapia fingerlings and net while the KKBFI shouldered the excavation expense of the pond amounting to PhP50,000.00 for the inland fishery business. The lot where the pond was established is owned by one of the members. Devastated by typhoon in June 2018 leaving the Association no income, the LGU allotted / funded PhP50,380.00 for the procurement of fingerlings, nets, and feeds to restore their livelihood.

A quarantine area located at Brgy. Tanolong was also provided by the LGU for the Goat Raisers of Bayambang SLP Association. The quarantine area was established by the MAO as a restraint facility for examination of livestock being brought inside the municipality to ensure that no communicable disease shall infect other livestock.

With this and all other assistance of the LGU in terms of agri-aquaculture, it is advocating the Agri-Aqua Tourism in the municipality with Brgy. Langiran as the pilot barangay for the said endeavor. Through farm tourism, tourists can experience planting or harvesting rice, corn, and onion; ride a carabao sled; and other agricultural activities.

As a way to encourage the members of all the SLP-assisted Associations, the LGU assured to double the savings of the association with the highest savings after two years of successful operation.

On 30 October 2017, the Bayambangueña Pasalubong Center and Tourist Assistance Center were opened to promote the town to visitors while providing means of livelihood to local product makers which include the SLP Associations.

Three (3) Livelihood Focals were appointed by the LGU to help DSWD-SLP staff monitor the progress of the livelihood projects implemented in the municipality and to provide additional technical assistance needed. The LGU also hired an Action Desk Officer on Livelihood and Skills Training to assist the Municipal Mayor in developing strategies that will implement sustainable livelihood programs for the Municipality and in analyzing priorities and skills development that will strengthen or generate employment opportunities.

Employment Facilitation cum Cash-For-Work

Of the served SLP participants, 280 availed the Employment Facilitation Track of the SLP-DSWD from 2016-2018.

Relative to this, the LGU conducts a quarterly Job Fair participated in by thousands of job seekers.

In November 2017, 1,500 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries were prioritized for the Cash-for-Work (CFW) program of the LGU amounting to PhP2.85 million. Forty-seven (47) barangay community gardens and 45 barangay nurseries were improved through the said CFW program. The LGU also provided garden tools and seeds for the sustainability of the project that aims to improve food security, advocate healthy eating habit, and provide opportunities for positive social interaction and recreation in a beautiful, non-threatening atmosphere.

Compared to the PhP17,501,730.18 local revenue of the LGU in 2016, it reached 313.1% increase or PhP54,797,110.48 in 2018. Employment projects and programs implemented in the LGU greatly affect the drastic growth of the local revenue of the municipality. Tax education campaign was conducted in various barangays to instill responsible taxpaying practice among its constituents.

Apart from the efforts and assistance given by the LGU and its partner stakeholders, the empowerment imbibed by the Bayambangueño in doing their share in the progress of Bayambang is the intangible revenue of the Municipality.

Bayambang Poverty Reduction Plan (BPRP) for 2018-2028

The formulation of the Bayambang Poverty Reduction Plan (BPRP) which was guided by the Vision, Mission, and Goal Statements of the LGU is anchored with the Regional Development Plan 2017-2022 and the Philippine Development Plan 2017 – 2022, both of which are geared towards the Ambisyon Natin 2040 which articulates the Filipino people’s collective vision of a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay para sa lahat. It also takes into account the country’s international commitments to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Included in the BPRP are the five sectoral agenda which the LGU shall focus on for the next ten years: socio-cultural development and social protection, agricultural modernization, good governance, economic and infrastructure development, and environmental protection and disaster resiliency.

The Municipal Government eyes that by 2028, there will be no more Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary in the town as they have already attained the ideal socio-economic sufficiency level brought about by the successful implementation of the BPRP in convergence with partner stakeholders. It is noted that as of last year, Bayambang has 130 households who waived from Pantawid Pamilya, the most number in the entire Region 1.

The Local Government of Bayambang has set its commitment in reaching zero poverty in the municipality in the coming years through the converged initiatives and support from all the stakeholders. With all the visions and efforts of Bayambang, it is going towards the direction of a Bayang ang Yaman ay Mamamayang Bumangon at Nagsumikap Guminhawa.