BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — Thirty-seven farmers in Benguet who lost livestock in calamities in 2025 received upgraded goats from the Department of Agriculture (DA) on September 14, 2026, to help them rebuild their additional source of livelihood.
The DA-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) distributed 39 goats worth P655,200 under its Quick Response Fund (QRF) assistance program during a ceremony in Wangal, La Trinidad, as part of the Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat program.
The beneficiaries came from the municipalities of Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, and Kabayan.
The goats, sourced from Tarlac, were 10 to 20 months old and weighed at least 20 kilograms each.
The beneficiaries were identified from farmers who reported livestock losses following Tropical Cyclones Crising, Dante, Emong, Marisol, Nando, Opong, and Paolo, which affected the Cordillera region in 2025.
For livestock raiser Cecelia Awisan of Lengaoan, Buguias, the assistance comes after she lost two goats during a strong typhoon last year.
“Agyamanak ti DA ta maysaak a naikkan ti napintas nga kalding. Aywanak daytoy tapnu umad-ado pay,” Awisan said, expressing gratitude for the assistance and her commitment to care for the goat so it can reproduce.
The DA said the livestock assistance is intended to give affected farmers an additional livelihood opportunity alongside their crop production activities.
Beneficiaries were advised to observe proper care and management of the goats to support their growth and reproduction.
DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan thanked the Benguet provincial government and the Provincial Veterinary Office for helping facilitate the assistance.
Dawayan also urged farmers to report calamity-related agricultural losses to their local government units, as these reports provide the basis for government interventions such as QRF assistance.
The Benguet Provincial Veterinary Office committed to monitor the condition of the distributed goats and encouraged beneficiaries to seek veterinary or local agriculture office assistance on livestock health and management. **JDP/RGA-PIA CAR with reports from DA-CAR
