The Convenio National Team from Caritas Philippines, together with representatives from Cáritas Española, conducted a community visit to nine barangays within the Green Luzon Project. These barangays included Amlao, Suyang, Balawag, Gen. Eulogio Balao, Sampaguita, Narra, Patanad, Aggassian, and Fugu. The visit was coordinated with the three Convenio partners: the Diocesan Social Action Centers (DSACs) of Ilagan, Tabuk, and Tuguegarao.
Jose Peralta Escribano, Cáritas Española’s Humanitarian Action Advisor Focal Point for Asia, and Oscar Martinez Heredia, the Asia Regional Representative, expressed sincere gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the communities. They also acknowledged the invaluable support provided by barangay local government units (BLGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and government agencies in advancing the Green Luzon Project.
The teams engaged in discussions and updates, particularly focusing on the project’s progress in implementing the Agro-Enterprise Clustering Approach (AECA). Community members and barangay officials accompanied the Convenio team to inspect communal lands designated for crop production by cluster members. Additionally, they visited greenhouse construction sites, which will provide a controlled environment for seedling growth.
These developments bring the vision of Component 2 of the Green Luzon Project closer to reality. This component aims to increase the income of vulnerable households. To achieve this, the planting of selected crops, including Carolina reaper, mushroom, pigmented rice, pechay, and purple yam, is scheduled to begin in 2024. By diversifying income sources, the project seeks to improve the overall economic well-being of the communities.