The Comprehensive Agricultural Development Program was implemented in 1996 by the local government mainly to alleviate poverty and promote food security. It has three major components: Daruhan sa Matag Mag-uuma (carabao dispersal program), Libreng Sakay (free transportaion), and the Barato Baroto (cheap boats).

The Daruhan sa Matag Mag-uuma is a carabao dispersal scheme wherein farmers who do not own one are given one carabao to help them till their farm. With this scheme, the farmers can save on the rental of a working animal thus increasing their income.

The Libreng Sakay program provides transportation for upland farmers so that they can bring their farm produce to the Municipal Livestock and Flea Market during market days. This program encourages marginal farmers to plant more due to assured marketing of their produce.

The Barato Baroto is an interest-free loan to marginal fishermen so that they can have the opportunity to own fishing boats. This is managed by the LGU.

The program has dramatically improved the standard of living of the residents of Zamboanguita. The Taboan, which used to be concentrated at the Malatapay Beach only, has now expanded up to the main road. Traders from the city and neighboring towns come to Zamboanguita for the weekly flea market. This has encouraged the farmers to go into intercropping. Every residents in the municipality is benefited with the increase of money circulating in the municipality.

The Strategy

The Daruhan sa Mag-uuma

Daruhan sa Matag Mag-uuma or having a working animal for every household is the dispersal of female carabao to farmers.

The Sangguniang Bayan passed a resolution in 1996 adopting the program and allocating P800,000 to purchase 80 carabaos. The amount of PhP200,000 .00 came from the Countrywide Development Fund of Congressman Teves, another PhP200,000.00 from the 20 percent Economic Development Fund (EDF) in 1996 and a yearly allocation of PhP100,000.00 from the EDF of 1997-2001.

In this dispersal program, the local executive was given the authority to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the recipient farmer. A Technical Staff composed of personnel from the Office of the Municipal Agricultural Officer, personnel from the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and representatives of the Farmers and Irrigators Association was formed to screen the applicants who will be given carabaos. Qualifications include: (a) the applicant must be a bonafide farmer; (b) must not own any working animal; and, (c) his household is farming at least an aggregate area of one and a half hectares. Background investigation and personal interviews were also conducted to verify the applicant’s qualifications. When the applicant qualifies, he goes to the Livestock Auction Market at Barangay Malatapay to select the carabao of his choice. Once the farmer has selected and the price has been agreed upon, documentation and registration is processed and the carabao is properly marked before payment by the municipal government. The recipient also enters into a MOA with the local executive stipulating the terms and conditions of the program. One condition set in the MOA is that the first two female calves that is borne by the carabao should be passed on to dispersal program for distribution to the next qualified farmer on the list. When the carabao is stolen in his care, the farmer has to pay the acquisition cost. If it dies, he immediately reports it to the municipal government for proper documentation, and the obligation of the farmer will cease to exist.

The municipal government monitors closely the distributed carabaos. Regular physical examination is also being conducted by the local government veterinarian.

The Libreng Sakay

The Libreng Sakay provides free transportation to farmers and their farm produce from the five interior barangays to Barangay Malatapay, where a Taboan (Municipal Livestock and Flea Market) is held every Wednesday, and to the public market every Saturday using government-owned trucks.

The trucks go to the mountains on Tuesdays to take the farmers and their farm products to Barangay Malatapay. The farmers sell their products at the flea market on Wednesdays, and the trucks transport them back to their barangays in the afternoon. The same routine is followed on Saturdays to take the farmers and their products to the public market.

As a counterpart, the farmers maintain the road so that the Libreng Sakay can go on schedule.

The Barato Baroto

The Barato Baroto program provides loans to marginal fishermen to acquire their own fishing boats. The loan assistance is in the amount of PhP2,500 to PhP3,000 payable at PhP3.50 daily for two and a half years, interest-free.

The Sangguniang Bayan passed a resolution allocating funds for this program and giving authority to the local executive to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the fisherfolk qualified for the loan. The Technical Staff in charge of the screening of applicants were composed of personnel from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office and the Municipal Agricultural Office in coordination with the Federation of Marginal Fisherfolks. Qualifications include the following: the applicant must be a bonafide fisherfolk and does not own any fishing vessel. Background investigation and personal interviews are conducted to verify the qualification of the applicant. Once approved, the fisherman enters into a MOA with the local executive. Payment is regularly collected by the municipal government with the assistance of the fishermen’s association. When the loan is fully paid, the PhP700 is given back to fisherman for the maintenance or upgrading of his boat.

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