EGG-LAYING MACHINE PROGRAM. The Iloilo City Government is eyeing the implementation of a PHP3.5-million egg-laying machine program that will be funded by the National Anti-Poverty Commission under the Bottom Up Budgeting Program. (PNA File Photo)
ILOILO CITY – The city government will utilize the PHP3.5-million fund from the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), previously intended for the native chicken dispersal program, to establish an egg-laying machine program.
The native chicken dispersal project was terminated last year due to corruption issues. It then served as the livestock component of the Integrated Community Food Production Program (ICFPP) under the Bottom up Budgeting (BuB) program implemented by the NAPC.
Iloilo City was allotted PHP10.370 million for the implementation of the ICFPP; PHP3.5 million was for the dispersal of 17,500 native chickens to 2,000 selected beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
City Agriculturist Romulo Pangantihon on Monday said that members of the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) passed a resolution on Friday last week for the establishment of the new program, instead of having the fund recalled by the NAPC.
“It’s a module of layer chickens that are contain in a cage,” Pangantihon explained. Each module has 48 egg-laying chicken.
However, he added that “nothing is fixed as of now” because the program is yet on its planning stage and the technical working group will have to meet again to finalize the plan.
Initially, the intention was to organize a group but this time they will be “lenient” in admitting those who are interested to join. Also, they will determine how many beneficiaries will comprise a group so they could earn a substantial income.
From the income, they intend to allocate a certain percentage so they could buy replacement for the chickens in order to give the program “continuity”.
“The technical working group will meet again to finalize the plan. We will already solicit the willingness of those who will be involved, it would be difficult that you will push for them to accept the program and you will get reluctant participation,” Pangantihon said.
According to him, they would like to ensure the correct set up of the program in order to avoid the lapses that took place during the previous implementation. (PNA)
