PRO-7 launches ‘Baktinabangay’ project in Malabuyoc

CEBU, Philippines — At least three drug reformists and seven others received piglets to raise in Malabuyoc town in southern Cebu on Monday.

This was as the Police Regional Office-7 partnered with Virginia Farms, Inc. to launch its livelihood program called "Baktinabangay."

Police Lieutenant Arja P. Grondiano, the chief of Malabuyoc Municipal Police Station, said the program would focus particularly on giving drug surrenderees a means of living so that they do not go back to using or selling illegal drugs.

Aside from the drug reformists, local pig farmers also took advantage of the initiative.  All beneficiaries must need to qualify for the assessments of the Virginia Farms technicians. One category is that they need to follow the prescribed pig pen sizes.

Grondiano said they have at least 319 drug surrenderees in the municipality who gave way using illegal drugs in 2016 or during the height of the drug war campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte which they will prioritize toward the run of the program.

“For now, we only have three drug reformists who avail because many are still unable to comply with the ideal pig pen size,” said Grondiano.

Rolando E. Tambago, the president of Virginia Farms, said they would shoulder feed supplies, medicines, and technical supplies to ensure the hogs grow healthy until harvest.  Beneficiaries are given a maximum of five piglets to raise.

He said they would monitor the piglets at least every week to check their conditions, especially to spare them from acquiring African Swine Fever (ASF). He also guaranteed beneficiaries that they would be given the market to sell their pigs following their successful hog raising.

"Ang problema kasagaran sa pagbuhi og baboy and livestock business in general is pag time na nga e-harvest na walay klaro nga market...Sa Virginia Foods..naa gyud tay guarantiya na market nga sigurado gyud tang mokita gyud," said Tambago.

The Baktinabangay project is the regional police's support to the nationwide implementation of the Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan (BIDA) program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) aligned with the Recovery and Wellness Program (RWP) of the Philippine National Police.

After its pilot launching in Malabuyoc, Police Colonel and lawyer Antonietto Cañete, the chief of the Regional Community Affairs and Development Division - Central Visayas (RCADD-7), said they hope to have the project region-wide soon, believing it would help in crime reduction, which was also supported by Virginia Farms.

The event was also attended by Malabuyoc Mayor Erlinda Piedad and Vice Mayor Anna Devorah Allosada. —Romeo D. Marantal (FREEMAN)