BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO
QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (August 2)—A cacao and coffee plantation recently established in barangay Boliwao here is expected to bring economic benefits for upland villagers in this town.
Mayor Dolores Binwag said the plantation was already established in a 1.367-hectare lot, which will be planted with 1,080 cacao and 1,550 coffee seedlings.
The project is implemented by the FCF Minerals Corporation in partnership with the Mapalyao Watershed Association (MWA), Boliwao local government unit (BLGU) and the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).
“This is operated and managed by at least 10 initial members of the BWA (Boliwao Watershed Association). Capital build-up will be achieved because the beneficiaries will eventually return their capital to the BWA,” Binwag said.
The PAO already provided the free seedlings which were already planted while the FCF Minerals Community Relations Office (CRO) also organized training for the 10 BWA members to prepare them technically for the income-generating project.
The mayor added that Boliwao LGU will also assist in the promotion of the products, fair trade laws and consumer welfare practices.
Binwag said she hopes the project will also cascade to the other 16 Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) organized by the mining firm to infuse various social development programs through livelihood assistance.
The CBOs were organized in barangay Runruno, the mining firm’s base of operations for its gold-molybdenum project and its neighboring downstream villages.
Officials of the FCF Minerals Corporation said their livelihood projects are regularly monitored to ensure their sustainability and benefits for the CBOs through technical guidance and training in partnership with various government agencies and private institutions.