Korean project revives bayanihan in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY — A R30.5-million project of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) has revived bayanihan spirit in upland barangays of Alimodian town, Iloilo.

Alimodian Mayor Geefre Alonsabe said the three-phase Panay Island Upland-Sustainable Rural Development Project (PIU-SRDP) was able to bring back community volunteerism in five remote barangays.

“This Korean project instilled in our farmers good values and the importance of community labor,” Alonsabe told Manila Bulletin.

Farmers in Barangays Cabacanan Rizal, Dao, Lico, Manasa, and Umingan did their share in building infrastructures such as farm-to-market-roads, community toilets, and water reservoirs.

Nenita Cagud, a 53-year-old farmer from Barangay Umingan, said it was only through the project that she and her neighbors were able to build concrete comfort rooms.

A communal greenhouse was also constructed to boost cauliflower production in Barangay Dao.

Alimodian is one of the project sites of PIU-SRDP in Panay island.

Manuel Olanday, DA regional technical director, said that PIU-SRDP is a holistic approach in improving the farmers’ livelihood. It aims to improve food security, productivity, income generation, and make upland communities more resilient to the impact of climate change.

“We also train leaders in the communities to be able to sustain the project,” Olanday said.