Aside from farmers and fisherfolk, the Department of Agriculture 4A (DA-4A) considered the repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in CALABARZON as beneficiaries of the allotted P34,408,066 worth of interventions this year.

DA-4A OIC-Regional Executive Director Vilma M. Dimaculangan presented the Department’s list of interventions during the regional launch of “Agri-negosyo para sa OFWs” on April 13, 2021.

The list of interventions includes livelihood, mushroom and duck production, meat processing, and enterprise development training; briefing on hybrid production; availing of grant assistance under enhanced KADIWA; participation to KADIWA program and activities; investment forums and; distribution of mushroom starter kits, native chicken modules, certified and hybrid seeds, and fertilizers.

OIC-Regional Executive Director Dimaculangan also mentioned three of the Department’s loan facilities suitable for the OFWs.

Expanded Sure Aid and Recovery Project (SURE COVID-19) is a load facility for agri-based micro and small enterprises affected by the enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19. Each borrower can loan up to 10-M in this loan facility.

Borrowers age 18-30-year-old can loan up to P500,000 in Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs (KAYA). This loan facility attracts the young generation to be key players in agribusiness.

Farmers and fisherfolk organizations/associations can borrow up to P5-M while individual small farmers and fisherfolk can borrow up to P300,000 in Agri-Negosyo (ANYO), a loan facility that will finance capital requirements of individuals and organizations/associations that are engaged in agriculture and fishery projects.

Interested individuals and organizations/associations may raise their concerns and queries regarding the interventions through sending a message to DA’s contact information posted at its website: http://rfo4a.da.gov.ph/contact-us/. Requirements and other information regarding the loan facilities can be accessed at the Agricultural Credit Policy Council website, acpc.gov.ph.

The mentioned interventions and loan facilities were DA-4A’s way to help the CALABARZON region with its issue of having the most number (21% of the total percentage) of repatriated OFWs due to the pandemic. With these interventions and loan facilities, repatriated OFWs can start recovering from livelihood loss by investing in agribusiness.

“Kaisa ang Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka sa layunin ng pamahalaan na makatulong sa pagbangon ng mga apektadong OFWs mula sa malaking suliranin na nararanasan ng buong bansa dulot ng pandemya,” said OIC-Regional Executive Director Dimaculangan.

“Agri-negosyo para sa OFWs” is a Regional Sub Task Group project on Agribusiness that aims to help the repatriated OFWs in CALABARZON recover from losing of livelihood due to the pandemic through providing support to put up an agricultural business. This project is in collaboration with the following regional office of government agencies: Cooperative Development Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Economic and Development Authority, and Department of Agriculture.

“Sa pamamagitan ng proyekto ng Regional Sub-Task Group on Agribusiness na ‘Agri-negosyo para sa mga OFWs,’ naniniwala tayo na lubos itong makatutulong sa mga OFW na nawalan ng trabaho,” OIC-Regional Executive Director Dimaculangan added. #### (Reina Beatriz P. Peralta, DA-4A RAFIS)