GROWTH STRATEGY. Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda speaks during the launching of Central Antique Convergence Area (CACA) held at the gymnasium in Valderrama, Antique Friday (Nov. 8, 2019). Legarda lauded the CACA, a strategy that can contribute to inclusive growth and poverty reduction in the countryside, particularly in five towns of Antique. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique -- The local government units (LGUs) of Antique lauded the government’s convergence program that was launched last week in the municipality of Valderrama.
“The convergence could help us address poverty in our municipalities because of the assistance we would receive from the national government,” Valderrama Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero said in a follow-up interview on Monday.
The Central Antique Convergence Area (CACA) is a strategy that can contribute to inclusive growth and poverty reduction in the countryside, particularly in five towns of Antique.
CACA covers Barbaza, Bugasong, Laua-an, Patnongon, and Valderrama in the central part of the province.
A PHP1.7-million budget for the realization of the Convergence Area Development Plan has been submitted to the concerned agencies for funding for five years. This will cover the planting materials, post-harvest facilities, equipment, and support in the marketing of the farmers’ production.
CACA has major rivers and watersheds hence the management of watershed and ecosystem is given priority.
“The major watersheds in area are the Dalanas River in Barbaza, Paliwan River which covers Laua-an and Bugasong, Caraganan River in Valderrama, and Ypayo and Carit-an Rivers in Patnongon,” Roquero said.
She added that because of the major rivers and watersheds, residents experience landslides, soil erosions and flooding. Hence, there is also need to rehabilitate forest resources through planting of various crops and reforestation.
The CACA was the result of the three-day workshop initially conducted on July 23-25, 2019 at San Jose de Buenavista attended by the Provincial Convergence Initiative Technical Working Group chaired by Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao.
The TWG was joined by heads of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture, Provincial Planning and Development Office, Provincial Veterinarian, Provincial Agrarian Reform Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Office (ENRO) and Community ENRO and their municipal counterparts from the five municipalities.
It was during their workshop that they crafted the Convergence Area Development Plan which is a five-year comprehensive plan that will address the management of watershed and ecosystem in a holistic and sustainable manner.
Meanwhile, during the launching activity, Deputy Speaker Loren Legada, in her keynote address, said the complementation of efforts of the four-lead national government agencies Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Department of the Interior and Local Government and the five municipalities covered by CACA may serve as model for other areas of what convergence could do to address poverty.
“Convergence is very important because the budget under the line items of the lead agencies could be synchronized to address poverty in the CACA,” Legarda said.
DA Assistant Secretary Evelyn Laviña, who came for the launching along with other key officials of the other agencies, said that their department is committed to support the convergence strategy.
“DA is committed to support CACA that would start action for sustainable rural development,” she said.
The DA Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) will serve as convener of the CACA. (PNA)
