BALANGA CITY — SM Foundation on Friday launched in a village here the 199th batch of farmers in the country for its Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan training.
It is the second in Bataan after it was launched in an Aeta community in Dinalupihan town two years ago.
Christie Angeles, SM Foundation senior vice president, said that as desired by their founder, the late Henry Sy, Sr., they started training farmers in the Philippines in 2007 and have not stopped since, benefitting some 23,000 nationwide.
“Gusto namin ng food security para sa maliliit na tao na non-farmers at gusto rin namin ng isang sustainable livelihood naman para sa mga farmers,” she said.
Angeles said they have tied up and found strength from the national government, especially with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the local government units.
“Unang ibinibigay namin ang technical na pag-aaral at tamang pananim, getting away from traditional farming para sa isang safe at organic vegetable growing,” she noted.
She said that training takes 12 weeks at one day per week. “Gusto namin na habang sila’y nag-aaral, nagiging magkakaibigan sila dahil ang farmers hindi sila tatayo kung walang pagkakaisa. Magkakaroon din sila ang financial literacy,” Angeles added.
She said that they bring down to the trainees the 14 principles of Sy that made SM strong and successful.
In Balanga City, farmers will indulge in planting vegetables that Angeles said will be used in cooking pinakbet or vegetables under the song “Bahay Kubo.”
A total of 311 farmers, some under the DSWD’s 4 Ps program, signed up for the training in Barangay Tuyo.
“Eventually ang dream namin ay mapasok din ang mga magsasaka sa loop ng market ng SM,” Angeles said.
“Nakita naming kung paano naging successful ang pagtutulungan ng national government, DSWD, local government at ang SM Foundation. Maganda kaya pwede nating gawing modelo sa iba’t ibang bayan, probinsiya at even at the national level,” DSWD Region 3 director Gemma Gabuya said.
Reynaldo del Valle, senior vice president for SM markets, said they are in full support of the project.
“Ang tulong na ibinibigay namin sa ganitong proyekto ay ang pag-accommodate ng magiging ani. Later, pwedeng maging supplier ang mga farmers through their cooperative para makapasok naman ang produkto nila sa aming mga supermarket,” he said.
