Beneficiaries of the government’s risk resiliency program through the Project LAWA at BINHI sustained its implementation in the municipality of San Remigio, Antique.

Project LAWA, which stands for Local Adaptation to Water Access and BINHI or Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished, was implemented in Barangay Bugo in June last year.

Through the project, the community built a small water reservoir where they grow tilapia and cultivate a vegetable garden.

They had their first harvest of tilapia in December, and almost every day since then, they gather fresh vegetables from their garden, which they sell in their community.

“This coming March, we are again about to harvest tilapia from our small water reservoir,” Fhebrose Victoriano, one of the 28 project beneficiaries in Barangay Bugo, said in an interview on Tuesday.

The beneficiaries used the income they generated from the project to buy fingerlings, feeds and seeds.

Victoriano said they take turns cultivating their garden, which they planted with assorted vegetables, like squash, string beans and eggplant.

She said they decided to sustain the project because it provides them with fresh fish and vegetables. Their barangay is situated seven kilometers away from the town market, and they cannot easily purchase the food that they need.

Tiffany Cabaluna, DSWD Project Development Officer II and in charge of the project in Antique, said the project was implemented in seven municipalities in the province since 2023.

Beneficiaries decided to sustain the initiative because of the benefits they gain from it.

In Barangay Igplage in Barbaza town, the produce was used to serve hot meals to evacuees affected by Typhoon Tino in November last year. (PNA)