“Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) have served more than 372,179 beneficiaries from more than 400 cities and municipalities in 72 provinces.”
This was reported by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Director Maria Isabel Lanada of the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) on Saturday (June 14) as she stressed that the program complements the food security mission of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Project LAWA at Binhi, which started in 2023, is a DSWD innovation designed to ensure that agricultural productivity continues during droughts or dry periods and even on days with extreme heavy rainfall.
The project is one of the agency’s development programs which focuses on addressing the impact of climate change to the vulnerable groups.
“Ang direktiba ng ating Secretay Rex Gatchalian nang maupo siya bilang Secretary ng DSWD, isa sa nakita niya is mas sustainable yung solusyon. So, meron ng pondo for climate change impacts ang gobyerno, pero sa utos ng Presidente [Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.), na unahin din yung tinatamaan ng pabago bagong klima, nagkaroon po ng pilot testing,” Director Lanada told DZMM Teleradyo’s ‘Serbisyong DSWD for Every Juan’.
Before the program was fully implemented, the Department conducted research to identify the sectors that are directly affected by climate change, especially as the country is known as the number 1 most at risk country to natural hazards impact.
According to the DSWD official, the research results showed that the farmers, fisherfolk, and informal sectors were the top 3 most adversely impacted by the changing climate.
“Bumagal yung kanilang kita dahil kapag tag-ulan, hindi makalaot, kapag tag-init, lumalayo ang mga isda, nagagastusan ang mangingisda. Kapag tag-ulan, baha ang gulayan at palayan. Pag tagtuyot, gumagastos ang mga magsasaka ng Php2,000 to Php3,000 sa pag-pump ng underground water,” Director Lanada said.
Under Project Lawa at Binhi, a Cash-for-Training/Work (CFT/W) is provided which aims at helping the beneficiaries in a community with temporary employment while they learn how to build a solution to their agricultural problem.
The Project LAWA and BINHI also contributes in raising awareness on climate change and find ways to mitigate its adverse impact among communities, particularly through its Cash-for-Training/Work (CFT/W) inclusive of training on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and practical skills in gardening and water harvesting.
“Naisip ito ni Secretary Rex na gawing cash for training and work, so ang mga taong bayan na yung na naapektuhan ang dikretang income dahil sa init at baha, yun ang tinarget,” the DSWD-DRMB director said.
Aside from the temporary income through the cash-for-work, the beneficiaries are also trained and provided with the know-how in adapting with climate change.
Among the projects that the Project Lawa at Binhi beneficiaries implemented are small reservoirs, drainage systems, and irrigation pumps. The fisherfolk were trained on new fishing knowledge and skills to adapt to climate change and given fingerlings in collaboration with the DA.
“Kailangan natin turuan, ibalik, irecalibrate yung orientation, irefashion ung kaisipan ng taong bayan na mahalin a ng agrikultura. So, sa partnership with DA, tinutulungan nila kami sa seedlings, sa fingerlings and that is aligned whole-of-nation approach ng ating pamahalaan [Marcos Administration],” the DSWD official explained.
Director Lanada also pointed out that with the project, even the partner-beneficiaries have a role to play in ensuring adaptability to climate change, as well as contributing to the economy.
“Tulad po sa Antique po, nag-construct po (beneficiaries) ng small-farm reservoir, with the technical assistance of the DA…yung mga last year pa namin (projects), minemaintain nila (beneficiaries)…binabasag natin yung kaisipang maging dependent sa tulong ng gobyerno. Nagiging self-reliant sila and na-oorganize into cooperatives,” Director Lanada said.
With a flourishing agricultural productivity, the Project Lawa at Binhi also responds to the food insufficiency issues and gives the sectors affected by climate change the opportunity for a better livelihood. Presently, the beneficiaries of the project contribute in supplying agricultural produce in the country.
As the Project Lawa at Binhi gains more ground in helping the vulnerable sectors cope with climate change, Director Lanada expressed gratitude to the DSWD’s partners and stressed the need for Filipinos to value agriculture.
Some of the agencies and offices collaborating with the DSWD’s Project Lawa at Binhi implementation are the Local Government Units, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
