Hog-Raising Pushed to Boost Livelihood in Vizcaya
PHILIPPINES - At least 25 swine were distributed throughout a village in mountainous Dupax del Norte by the Philippine subsidiary of an Australian mining company.Royalco Philippines gave out the swines in remote Yabbe village as part of their company’s socio-civic development, livelihood generation and corporate responsibility project that began in March this year. The activity began with an initial cost of P75,000, reports The Manila Times.net.
The project is aimed at providing alternative income sources for low-income families by providing them with a female piglet to raise until it is physically mature and ready for breeding.
“Any excess piglets the sow will have may be sold by the recipient, including the sow itself. Of course, it would be much better if the recipients continue to breed their swine,” said Gemma Segundo, Royalco’s Community Development Affairs officer.
The company said this would be “paying back” the community for the assistance given to them. Royalco Philippines is also hoping that the community would multiply the distributed number of swines by returning at least one female piglet to the company, which will be later donated to other members of Yabbe village for the same purpose.