Wrapped in mist and rich traditions, Mountain Province is a land of terraced farms, and communities that have long relied on the rhythm of nature for survival.
While its mountains stand as symbols of strength and identity, they have also posed daily challenges—limited access to water, unpredictable harvests, and scarce livelihood opportunities.
In recent years, however, signs of hope have begun to emerge across the highlands.
Through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Project LAWA (Local Access to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), the once-isolated communities of Mountain Province found new pathways toward self-reliance.
More than 1,250 partner-beneficiaries stood together to build a future rooted in cooperation, sustainability, and dignity. With unity, they established 24 LAWA sites and 42 BINHI sites across the province.
What began as a government intervention soon became a community-driven movement. Project LAWA addressed one of the most pressing needs in the province – reliable water access.
With water systems now reaching farms and fishponds, Project BINHI complemented this by strengthening food production through vegetable gardening, aquaculture, and climate-resilient agriculture. The combined programs equipped beneficiaries not only with resources, but also with knowledge and discipline.
According to Albert Payocyoc, Provincial Senior Agriculturist of the Mountain Province, the program’s impact goes beyond infrastructure.
“So far we are controlling the pests and diseases (in our farms) through the IPM or cultural management and biological pesticide,” Payocyoc told the DSWD’s Field Office (FO) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
This shift toward sustainable and science-based farming empowered communities to protect both their harvests and their environment. For the beneficiaries themselves, the transformation was deeply personal.
In Barangay Ambasing in picturesque Sagada in the Mountain Province, partner-beneficiary Relbert Salcedo shared how the project reshaped not only livelihoods, but also mindsets.
“Ang masasabi ko sa project ng DSWD na LAWA at BINHI ay maganda. Napapakinabangan ng mga tunay na nangangailangan at nararamdaman ng mga kapos sa buhay. Binago ng proyektong ito ang pananaw at kaisipan ng bawat isa na kailangan magkaisa para masolusyonan ang mga di nauunawaan,” Salcedo told DSWD’s FO CAR.
Beyond income generation, Salcedo also emphasized that the program nurtured environmental responsibility within their community.
“Ang environmental impact naman (ng proyekto) sa aming community ay ang pagpapahalaga sa kalikasan,” Salcedo pointed out.
Abner Bonggik, another partner-beneficiary from Barangay Balugan in Sagada, echoed this renewed appreciation for nature and productivity.
“Appreciation of nature of course. We are also happy because we have fertilizer for tilapia, there is more for second cropping. So that is the impact of LAWA at BINHI here,” Bonggik said.
Bonggik said beneficiaries now actively participate in orientations and training conducted by the DSWD, confident that continuous learning will further sharpen their skills in farming and livelihood development.
From tending fishponds and cultivating vegetables to selling fresh produce, the beneficiaries collectively earned more than Php50,000—a tangible result of perseverance and shared responsibility.
Yet, their true gain went far beyond income. What flourished most was a stronger sense of unity, as communities witnessed firsthand the power of cooperation in overcoming poverty.
This transformation found its voice in the Kadiwa Market, the government’s direct marketing platform where farmers and fishers sell their produce at fair prices. There, beneficiaries proudly offered goods born from their own labor.
The DSWD, in partnership with the Provincial Agriculture Office of the Mountain Province, continues to conduct capacity building activities to ensure that beneficiaries grow not only as producers, but also as informed and responsible members of the workforce society.
The story of Project LAWA at BINHI in Mountain Province is not merely about infrastructure or harvests. It is a story of people and the purpose of communities learning to stand on their own, in harmony with the land that sustains them.
The mountains that once symbolized hardship have become instruments of progress, turning barriers into bridges toward resilience, independence, and hope. (KB)
