Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries from the towns of Bautista and Natividad in Pangasinan have now embarked on carapreneurship as they recently received a total of 17 ready-to-breed female buffaloes.
Said beneficiaries are under the Gatasang Kalabaw Kontra Kagutuman at Kahirapan (GK3K) project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Sustainable Livelihood Program, which aims to help 4Ps beneficiaries establish a stable source of income through carabao-based enterprise.
As part of the initiative, the DSWD-SLP Pangasinan II, together with DA-PCC and LGU-Natividad, entrusted six crossbred buffaloes to Batchelor West Sustainable Livelihood Production Association (SLPA) on August 30, 2024 while five were entrusted to Canarem SLPA on August 7.
In addition, the Tibay Bisig Poponto SLPA of Bautista received six buffaloes on August 14. The DSWD-SLP allocated a total budget of approximately PHP1.2 million to both municipalities.
Following the successful implementation of the GK3K project in Balungao, Pangasinan, these two municipalities are now part of the growing number of communities benefitting from the carabao-based enterprise. After months of preparation, the beneficiaries have begun their journey in dairy buffalo raising.
In preparation for the project, beneficiaries in Natividad underwent dairy buffalo production and management training in June 2024, while their counterparts in Bautista completed the same training in July 2023. Both municipalities are actively supporting the project that they even provided materials for the construction of buffalo shelters.
The GK3K project is a collaborative effort among DSWD, local government units, DA-PCC, and other national government agencies. Its goal is to create sustainable enterprises utilizing carabaos to alleviate poverty and boost the carabao and livestock industries.
