2
Among the world’s largest undeveloped Nickel depos- its, discovered and defined by Intex and its affiliates. Some 345 million tons total laterite resources hold nearly 3 million tons nickel. Over 20-years production at 53,000 tons nickel per an- num. Projected as one of the most cost-efficient per pound nickel producers with low carbon footprint for the life of operations. Potential valuable by- products include ammonium sulfate fertilizer, chromite, cobalt and scandium as well as carbon-free, steam- generated electrical power. Enjoys growing community support. Providing socio- economic benefits for local residents and Mangyan in- digenous peoples through education, livelihood, health and sanitation initiatives and infrastructure support. Mindoro Nickel Project at a glance: Intex News December 2014 Vol. 2 No.4 Inside this issue: Mindoro Nickel Project wins Best Mining Forest Award Garners highest rating among contestants in all awards program categories Page 4 INTEX RESOURCES PHILIPPINES Intex-supported POs receive nat’l gov’t funding for livelihood projects 3 Intex supported POs...(From page 3) The Mindoro Nickel Project of Aglubang Mining Corporation (AMC) -- an affiliate of Intex Re- sources Philippines, Inc. -- was recently adjudged overall winner of the Best Mining Forest Award (Exploration Category) in the 2014 Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference in Baguio City. The Award, conferred by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Associa- tion, is in recognition of AMC's outstanding contri- bution to the govern- ment's "Adopt-A-Tree, Adopt-A-Mining Forest Movement". AMC's rating of 97.5 is the highest among con- testants in all categories of the Awards Program, the others being Metallic, Non-Metallic, and Min- eral Processing. Criteria for judging include how well the contestants manage and implement their respective forest programs’ development plan, nursery operations, extent of planted area, maintenance and protection, biodiversity consideration, and other factors such as community involvement and research. “This recognition is testament to our commitment to protect the environment,” says AMC-Intex Presi- dent Joselito Bacani. “That we have the country’s Best Mining Forest in the Exploration Category pro- vides Mindoreños a glimpse of how our company will exert all efforts to mitigate the impact of minerals development on the environment if we are so kindly given the opportunity to proceed with the Mindoro Nickel Project. The men and women of AMC-Intex are most thankful to our partner-stakeholders who helped us win this award.” Continued on page 2 I INTEX NEWS Official Monthly Publication of Intex Resources Phils., Inc. JOSELITO R. BACANI President ROCKY G. DIMACULANGAN VP for Communications ANDY O. PESTAÑO Manager, Community Relations and Development Office (CReDO) MARTIN G. REGIS PEDRO P. PAQUEO CReDO Officers LEO A. DELA CRUZ Design and Layout website: www.intexresources.com.ph For questions, comments, suggestion, please email us at [email protected] Joselito Bacani, president of Aglubang Mining Corporation and Intex Resources Philippines, Inc. (AMC-Intex), holds the trophy for 2014 Best Mining Forest Award (Exploration Category) dur- ing the awarding ceremonies of the 61 st Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Confer- ence held recently in Baguio City. The Award was conferred by the Department of Environ- ment and Natural Resources – Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association in recognition of AMC-Intex’s outstanding contribu- tions to the government’s National Greening Program. With Bacani in the photo are (from left) MGB Director Leo Jasareno, AMC-Intex’s Community Relations and Development Office (CReDO) Manager Andy Pestaño, Intex Vice President Rocky Dimaculangan, and Intex Execu- tive Vice President Sven Monrad Jensen Pedro Paqueo (in white plaid shirt) and Martin Regis (in cream shirt), both of whom are AMC-Intex’s senior CReDO officers, brief the government Validation Team head Antonio Nate, Jr. of the DENR Special Concerns Office (in yellow) on the company’s reforestation activities in Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro. The Team’s validation report re- sulted in AMC-Intex’s winning the Best Mining Forest Award (Exploration Category) with the highest rating among all participants in all contest categories. activities with multi-sector groups in both Mindoro prov- inces, as well as donation of over 35,000 various species of forest and fruit tree seedlings to civil society organiza- tions, local government units, national government agen- cies, and private individuals. Nate, along with Team members Roque Balmes of the MGB/MFP-NEC Technical Secretariat and Nicole Yuri Do- rado of the MGB Region IV-B, noted sightings of white and grey herons and different species of birds, monkeys and insects at the company’s reforestation areas in the Naujan Lake National Park and along roadside planting areas in the AMC-Intex host towns in Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro during the actual validation period. Ramil Baldo, the Mangyan IP chairman of SADAKI says, AMC-Intex’s LEAF program has provided a big boost to the uplift of the quality of life of members of his tribe. He related that they are able to plant trees like mahogany and bamboo, as well as fruit-bearing trees like coffee, cacao, lanzones, rambutan, durian, and coconut as well as pineapple and cassava which SADAKI members can harvest earlier. Mapagkukunan namin ang mga pananim na ito ng dagdag kita habang hinihintay naming mamunga ng pru- tas ang ibang mga puno. Matatamnan pa ng mga puno ang kagubatan at dahil dito, maibabalik ang mga punong kahoy na nawala sa pagkakaingin at paggawa ng uling na nakagawian na ng aming mga kasamahan (These will be our additional sources of income while we wait for the other trees to bear fruit. Moreover, the forest will have more planted trees and, because of this, we will be able to replenish the trees that were lost to slash-and-burn farming and charcoal-making practices of our members),” Baldo points out. AMC-Intex has spent – from 2008 up to June this year some P142 million for environmental protection and management initiatives for its Mindoro Nickel Project. Best Mining Forest ...(From page 2) Josephine Santiago, president of LAKAS-KA, has this to say about her PO’s partnership with Intex: Ang kumpanya ang unang nagbigay sa amin ng tulong-pinansyal upang makapagsimula ang aming samahan. Nagkaroon kami ng mga proyektong pangkabuhayan mula sa DOST at DOLE sa tulong na rin ng Intex. Dahil sa proyektong paggawa ng walis tambo, nagkaroon ng karagdagang kita ang aming mga kasapi at mga kabarangay. (It was the company that gave us financial aid so that we could set up our organization. We were able to put up a livelihood project from the DOST and DOLE also with the help of Intex. Because of our reed broom production project, our members and people from our barangay now have additional income sources).” For his part, PRO-ED President Perlito Casido considers his PO’s partner- ship with Intex as a “huge blessing”. Malaking biyaya para sa amin ang pagkakaroon ng Intex sa Sablayan. Binigyan nila kami ng training kung paano namin mapapaunlad ang aming samahan at mga kasapi at pati na rin ng tulong pinansyal na ginamit naming sa pagsisimula ng aming proyekto. Malaki ang tulong ng proyektong ito di lamang sa aming mga kabarangay kungdi pati na rin sa buong lalawigan ng Occidental Mindoro dahil nakaka- pag-produce na kami ng organikong pataba para gamitin ng mga magsa- saka sa kanilang mga pananim. (Intex’s presence in Sablayan is a big bless- ing for us. They provided us training on how our organization and its mem- bers can grow, as well as financial support that we used to start our project. This project is a big help not only to residents of our barangay but also to the whole province of Occidental Mindoro because we can now produce organic fertilizer that farmers use for their crops).” AMACO President Joel Tayaben says the fund they are waiting from DOLE will go a long way in supporting the ginger tea production project they are implementing to help the Mangyan indigenous peoples (IPs) in San Agustin and nearby districts. Nabebenepisyuhan din ng proyektong ang mga katu- tubo dahil sa kanila namin binibili ang mga luya. Tiyak na mas lalago ang aming negosyo pag natanggap na namin ang karagdagang tulong mula sa pamahalaaan (The IPs also benefit from this project because we source the ginger we use from them. Our business will surely grow further when we receive the additional funding from government).” Of the 25 other POs under ALAS-KA, seven more are preparing their pro- ject proposals in the hope that they will likewise receive government funding support. “We believe the livelihood projects implemented by the members of these POs are primary examples of self-help initiatives that do away with the dole-out mentality of old,” Pestaño explains. “We at Intex will continue to support these POs because we are encouraged by what we are seeing. We love helping people who help themselves.” Noel Otero of CReDO listens to members of a PO as they practice what they learned in one of the many livelihood training programs Intex has been conducting for Mindoro residents. I For the period July 2013 to June 2014, AMC-Intex pro- duced through its five nurseries in Mindoro a total of nearly 261,000 seedlings and distributed or planted nearly 49,000 seedlings. Prior to this period, the com- pany had produced some 470,000 seedlings and had either distributed or planted over 135,000 seedlings. The company has planted trees in about 355 hectares of land all over the island – with a high 95% survival rate for planted seedlings.

Intex News - Home - Mindoro Nickelintexresources.com.ph/mindoronickel/index_html_files...Page 2 INTEX RESOURCES PHILIPPINES MINDORO NICKEL NEWS Page 3 through Agro-Forestry (L EAF),

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Page 1: Intex News - Home - Mindoro Nickelintexresources.com.ph/mindoronickel/index_html_files...Page 2 INTEX RESOURCES PHILIPPINES MINDORO NICKEL NEWS Page 3 through Agro-Forestry (L EAF),

Among the world’s largestundeveloped Nickel depos-its, discovered and definedby Intex and its affiliates.

Some 345 million tons totallaterite resources holdnearly 3 million tons nickel.Over 20-years production at53,000 tons nickel per an-num.

Projected as one of the mostcost-efficient per poundnickel producers with lowcarbon footprint for the lifeof operations.

Potential valuable by-products include ammoniumsulfate fertilizer, chromite,cobalt and scandium as wellas carbon-free, steam-generated electrical power.

Enjoys growing communitysupport. Providing socio-economic benefits for localresidents and Mangyan in-digenous peoples througheducation, livelihood, healthand sanitation initiatives andinfrastructure support.

Mindoro Nickel Projectat a glance:

Intex NewsDecember 2014 Vol. 2 No.4

Inside this issue:

Mindoro Nickel Project wins Best Mining Forest AwardGarners highest rating among contestants in all awards programcategories

Page 4 INTEX RESOURCES PHILIPPINES

Intex-supportedPOs receive nat’lgov’t funding forlivelihood projects

3

Intex supported POs...(From page 3)

The Mindoro Nickel Project of Aglubang Mining Corporation (AMC) -- an affiliate of Intex Re-sources Philippines, Inc. -- was recently adjudged overall winner of the Best Mining Forest Award(Exploration Category) in the 2014 Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference inBaguio City.

The Award, conferredby the Department ofEnvironment and NaturalResources (DENR) –Mines and GeosciencesBureau (MGB) and thePhilippine Mine Safetyand Environment Associa-tion, is in recognition ofAMC's outstanding contri-bution to the govern-ment's "Adopt-A-Tree,Adopt-A-Mining ForestMovement".

AMC's rating of 97.5 isthe highest among con-testants in all categoriesof the Awards Program,the others being Metallic,Non-Metallic, and Min-eral Processing.

Criteria for judging include how well the contestants manage and implement their respective forestprograms’ development plan, nursery operations, extent of planted area, maintenance and protection,biodiversity consideration, and other factors such as community involvement and research.

“This recognition is testament to our commitment to protect the environment,” says AMC-Intex Presi-dent Joselito Bacani. “That we have the country’s Best Mining Forest in the Exploration Category pro-vides Mindoreños a glimpse of how our company will exert all efforts to mitigate the impact of mineralsdevelopment on the environment if we are so kindly given the opportunity to proceed with the MindoroNickel Project. The men and women of AMC-Intex are most thankful to our partner-stakeholders whohelped us win this award.”

Continued on page 2

I

INTEX NEWSOfficial Monthly Publication of Intex Resources Phils., Inc.

JOSELITO R. BACANIPresident

ROCKY G. DIMACULANGANVP for Communications

ANDY O. PESTAÑOManager, Community Relationsand Development Office (CReDO)

MARTIN G. REGISPEDRO P. PAQUEOCReDO Officers

LEO A. DELA CRUZDesign and Layout

website: www.intexresources.com.ph

For questions, comments, suggestion, please email us [email protected]

Joselito Bacani, president of Aglubang Mining Corporation and Intex Resources Philippines, Inc.(AMC-Intex), holds the trophy for 2014 Best Mining Forest Award (Exploration Category) dur-ing the awarding ceremonies of the 61st Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Confer-ence held recently in Baguio City. The Award was conferred by the Department of Environ-ment and Natural Resources – Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) and the PhilippineMine Safety and Environment Association in recognition of AMC-Intex’s outstanding contribu-tions to the government’s National Greening Program. With Bacani in the photo are (from left)MGB Director Leo Jasareno, AMC-Intex’s Community Relations and Development Office(CReDO) Manager Andy Pestaño, Intex Vice President Rocky Dimaculangan, and Intex Execu-tive Vice President Sven Monrad Jensen

Pedro Paqueo (in white plaid shirt) and Martin Regis (in cream shirt), both of whom areAMC-Intex’s senior CReDO officers, brief the government Validation Team head AntonioNate, Jr. of the DENR Special Concerns Office (in yellow) on the company’s reforestationactivities in Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro. The Team’s validation report re-sulted in AMC-Intex’s winning the Best Mining Forest Award (Exploration Category) with thehighest rating among all participants in all contest categories.

activities with multi-sector groups in both Mindoro prov-inces, as well as donation of over 35,000 various speciesof forest and fruit tree seedlings to civil society organiza-tions, local government units, national government agen-cies, and private individuals.

Nate, along with Team members Roque Balmes of theMGB/MFP-NEC Technical Secretariat and Nicole Yuri Do-rado of the MGB Region IV-B, noted sightings of whiteand grey herons and different species of birds, monkeysand insects at the company’s reforestation areas in theNaujan Lake National Park and along roadside plantingareas in the AMC-Intex host towns in Oriental Mindoroand Occidental Mindoro during the actual validationperiod.

Ramil Baldo, the Mangyan IP chairman of SADAKI says,AMC-Intex’s LEAF program has provided a big boost tothe uplift of the quality of life of members of his tribe. Herelated that they are able to plant trees like mahoganyand bamboo, as well as fruit-bearing trees like coffee,cacao, lanzones, rambutan, durian, and coconut as wellas pineapple and cassava which SADAKI members canharvest earlier.

“Mapagkukunan namin ang mga pananim na ito ngdagdag kita habang hinihintay naming mamunga ng pru-tas ang ibang mga puno. Matatamnan pa ng mga punoang kagubatan at dahil dito, maibabalik ang mga punongkahoy na nawala sa pagkakaingin at paggawa ng ulingna nakagawian na ng aming mga kasamahan (These willbe our additional sources of income while we wait for theother trees to bear fruit. Moreover, the forest will havemore planted trees and, because of this, we will be ableto replenish the trees that were lost to slash-and-burnfarming and charcoal-making practices of our members),”Baldo points out.

AMC-Intex has spent – from 2008 up to June this yearsome P142 million for environmental protection andmanagement initiatives for its Mindoro Nickel Project.

Best Mining Forest ...(From page 2)

Josephine Santiago, president of LAKAS-KA, has this to say about her PO’spartnership with Intex: “Ang kumpanya ang unang nagbigay sa amin ngtulong-pinansyal upang makapagsimula ang aming samahan. Nagkaroonkami ng mga proyektong pangkabuhayan mula sa DOST at DOLE sa tulongna rin ng Intex. Dahil sa proyektong paggawa ng walis tambo, nagkaroon ngkaragdagang kita ang aming mga kasapi at mga kabarangay. (It was thecompany that gave us financial aid so that we could set up our organization.We were able to put up a livelihood project from the DOST and DOLE alsowith the help of Intex. Because of our reed broom production project, ourmembers and people from our barangay now have additional incomesources).”

For his part, PRO-ED President Perlito Casido considers his PO’s partner-ship with Intex as a “huge blessing”. “Malaking biyaya para sa amin angpagkakaroon ng Intex sa Sablayan. Binigyan nila kami ng training kungpaano namin mapapaunlad ang aming samahan at mga kasapi at pati na rinng tulong pinansyal na ginamit naming sa pagsisimula ng aming proyekto.Malaki ang tulong ng proyektong ito di lamang sa aming mga kabarangaykungdi pati na rin sa buong lalawigan ng Occidental Mindoro dahil nakaka-pag-produce na kami ng organikong pataba para gamitin ng mga magsa-saka sa kanilang mga pananim. (Intex’s presence in Sablayan is a big bless-ing for us. They provided us training on how our organization and its mem-bers can grow, as well as financial support that we used to start our project.This project is a big help not only to residents of our barangay but also to thewhole province of Occidental Mindoro because we can now produce organicfertilizer that farmers use for their crops).”

AMACO President Joel Tayaben says the fund they are waiting from DOLEwill go a long way in supporting the ginger tea production project they areimplementing to help the Mangyan indigenous peoples (IPs) in San Agustinand nearby districts. “Nabebenepisyuhan din ng proyektong ang mga katu-tubo dahil sa kanila namin binibili ang mga luya. Tiyak na mas lalago angaming negosyo pag natanggap na namin ang karagdagang tulong mula sapamahalaaan (The IPs also benefit from this project because we source theginger we use from them. Our business will surely grow further when wereceive the additional funding from government).”

Of the 25 other POs under ALAS-KA, seven more are preparing their pro-ject proposals in the hope that they will likewise receive government fundingsupport.

“We believe the livelihood projects implemented by the members ofthese POs are primary examples of self-help initiatives that do away with thedole-out mentality of old,” Pestaño explains. “We at Intex will continue tosupport these POs because we are encouraged by what we are seeing. Welove helping people who help themselves.”

Noel Otero of CReDO listens to members of a PO as they practice what they learned in one ofthe many livelihood training programs Intex has been conducting for Mindoro residents.

I

For the period July 2013 toJune 2014, AMC-Intex pro-duced – through its fivenurseries in Mindoro a totalof nearly 261,000 seedlingsand distributed or plantednearly 49,000 seedlings.Prior to this period, the com-pany had produced some470,000 seedlings and hadeither distributed or plantedover 135,000 seedlings. Thecompany has planted treesin about 355 hectares ofland all over the island –with a high 95% survival ratefor planted seedlings.

Page 2: Intex News - Home - Mindoro Nickelintexresources.com.ph/mindoronickel/index_html_files...Page 2 INTEX RESOURCES PHILIPPINES MINDORO NICKEL NEWS Page 3 through Agro-Forestry (L EAF),

Page 2 INTEX RESOURCES PHILIPPINES MINDORO NICKEL NEWS Page 3

through Agro-Forestry (LEAF), which serves as the company’sanchor project for its reforestation initiatives while at the sametime providing community development and livelihood opportu-nities for stakeholders.

These opportunities include the extension of a 700-squaremeter LEAF satellite nursery at Bongabong town in Oriental Min-doro, hosted by Mangyan indigenous people (IP) elder YaumSumbad. The nursery will support the IP’s plan to put up anagro-forestry project in partnership with the government’s Na-tional Greening Program. Some 16,700 seedlings with a mix ofspecies of mahogany, g’melina, lawaan, amogis, hanilo, coffee,cacao, rambutan, and lanzones are maintained in the nursery.

Another community development opportunity is the 15-hectare LEAF Demonstration Farm in the Sablayan Prison & Pe-nal Farm, located in Occidental Mindoro, which is a collabora-tion between Intex, the Bureau of Corrections, Community Envi-ronment & Natural Resource Office and the ALAS-KA People’sOrganization representing 22 barangays in Sablayan town.

“Kami’y nagagalakdahil muling kamingkabahagi ng tagumpayna ito (We’re happy thatagain we have been partof this achievement),”says Generosa Bulda,chairwoman of the5,000-member strongpeople’s organizationAlyansa Laan sa Kaunla-ran at Kalikasan, Labansa Kahirapan or ALAS-KA, formed some 6years ago to addressissues related to pov-erty, development andenvironmental protec-tion in Mindoro.“Nakatutulong ang LEAFprogram ng AMC di lamang sa pangagalaga ng kalikasan kungdipati na rin sa pagbibigay kabuhayan sa aming mga kasapi. (LEAFisn’t just a platform to preserve the environment, but also asource of livelihood for our members).”

The Validating Team also considered AMC-Intex’s consistentparticipation in the Earth Day Celebration through tree planting

Continued on page 4

“The Aglubang Mining Corporation in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoroand Victoria, Oriental Mindoro has been a responsible partner of gov-ernment in spearheading projects and activities geared towards pro-moting a sound environment and harnessing the livelihood capabili-ties of Mindoro residents, many of them from indigenous communi-ties,” Roland de Jesus, MGB Region IV-B Director, says. “The out-standing support the company extends to President Benigno AquinoIII’s National Greening Program made AMC the overall winner of theBest Mining Forest Award in 2014, even as the company finished 1st

Runner up in the same awards program in 2013 – proof that AMCgives back more than what it expects to benefit from nature.”

Andy Pestaño, AMC-Intex Community Relations and DevelopmentOffice (CReDO) Manager, says the Award motivates his team to fur-ther strive in showing that the company can operate hand in handwith AMC-Intex’s stakeholder communities in the attainment of thecommon good. “Responsible mining and exploration practices is veryreal,” he adds. “It is our resolve to remain true to the tenets of re-sponsible minerals development through all its phases, and thisAward is tangible evidence of this resolve.”

Antonio Nate, Jr., representative of the Mining Forest ProgramNational Executive Committee (MFP-NEC) under DENR’s Special Con-cerns Office and head of the Validating Team, took note of AMC-Intex’s continuous implementation of the Livelihood Enhancement

Best Mining Forest ...(From page 1)

Bacani, Jensen, Dimaculangan and Pestaño gather for a post awarding ceremony cele-bration with CReDO officers Noel Otero, based in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, andManuel Rabulan, in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro. AMC-Intex has planted trees in about355 hectares of land all over the island – with a high 95% survival rate for planted seed-lings.

Pestaño (in blue) tours Nate and Palmes of the government Validation Team inanother site of AMC-Intex’s collaborative reforestation initiatives in Socorro,Oriental Mindoro. Also in photo is Edwin Pesigan, superintendent of the Nau-jan Lake Protected Area, which is one of the beneficiaries of the company’sseedling donations. The Validation Team members were impressed when theywitnessed first-hand the presence of wildlife in many of AMC-Intex’s reforesta-tion areas

AMC-Intex agronomist Ernesto Caranzo (in white hat) discusses a point with Nate inone of the company’s reforestation areas. The Validation Team noted how the com-pany has continuously implemented its Livelihood Enhancement Agro-Forestry (LEAF)project over the years. LEAF has proven to be not just an effective environmental pro-tection initiative, but a livelihood source for beneficiaries as well.

MGB Region IV-B Director Roland de Jesus saysAMC-Intex “has been a responsible partner ofgovernment in spearheading projects and activi-ties geared towards promoting a sound environ-ment and harnessing the livelihood capabilitiesof Mindoro residents, many of them from in-digenous communities.”

for their grants that they will use to fund projects such as the pro-duction of sawali (matting), salabat (ginger ale), bagoong(anchovies), and organic fertilizer, as well as gasoline retailing.

Intex, through its Community Relations and Development Office(CReDO), has been assisting POs in the areas of organizationalmanagement, facilitation, and monitoring. The company helpedLAKAS-KA and PRO-ED, along with the four other POs awaitingfunding support from government, in drafting their project propos-als. These organizations are among the 31 POs with a combinedmembership of over 5,000 who formed the Alyansa Laan saKaunlaran at Kalikasan, Laban sa Kahirapan or ALAS-KA to addressissues related to poverty, development and environmental protec-tion.

ALAS-KA has been calling for the lifting of the moratorium onmining in both Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro, whichhalted the activities of Intex as it approached the last stages ofmining feasibility for its Mindoro Nickel Project (MNP). Straddlingboth provinces, the MNP area is projected as the largest nickelproducer and the only refined nickel-metal plant in the Philippines.

“Our partnership with ALAS-KA and all the POs under this fed-eration reflects our company’s sincere desire to work with all ourstakeholders, most especially in Mindoro, in the uplift of the qual-ity of life in the entire island,” says Andy Pestaño,” Intex CReDOmanager. “This partnership can only result in more benefits for allMindoreños, particularly if Intex is given the opportunity to pro-ceed with the Mindoro Nickel Project.”

Two People’s Organizations (POs) supported by Intex ResourcesPhilippines, Inc. received a total of nearly P1 million from the De-partment of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Agricul-ture (DA), and Department of Science and Technolology (DOST) tofund various livelihood projects in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.One of these two POs and an additional four others are expected toreceive soon a total of P1.2 million from these national govern-ment agencies, also to finance their respective livelihood initiatives.

Samahang Labanan ang Kahirapan at Sama-sama sa Kaunlaranor LAKAS-KA from Lagnas in this town obtained a P494,565 grantfrom DOLE and an additional P90,000 from DOST. LAKAS-KA put upa counterpart fund of P145,000 and the total amount the membershave pooled together is now being used in the cooperative’s walistambo (reed broom) and rice retailing projects.

The members of Pro-Environment and Development, Inc. (PRO-ED) from Tuban, on the other hand, received a P350,000 grant fromthe DA and are now just waiting for the release of P300,000 fromDOLE. They were also able to raise P94,200 from the barangaylocal government unit and their own counterpart fund of P76,800that they are now using to produce organic fertilizer from vermi-cast (worm manure). PRO-ED’s vermicast produce – known to con-tain reduced levels of contaminants and a high saturation of nutri-ents – will supply the farming sector in Sablayan.

Meanwhile, four other Sablayan POs – Alagaan Ang KabuhayanPara sa Kaunlaran (AAKAP-KA) from Sta. Lucia, ALAS-KA MarketingCooperative (AMACO) from San Agustin, Samahang MangangalagaTungo sa Kaunlaran (SAMATUKA) from Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, andSan Nicolas Farmers and Fishing Association (SANFFA) are waiting

Intex-supported POs receive nat’l gov’t funding for livelihood projects

Continued on page 4

Officer and members of LAKAS-KA gather in their work area in Lagnas (top photo),Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro to discuss organizational matters. Photo belowshows the walis tambo that members and barangay residents helped put togetherfor sale.

Top photo shows DENR Validating Team’s Roque Palmes (extreme left), along withIntex CReDO’s Martin Regis and Noel Otero as well as members of PRO-ED inspectthe people’s organization’s composting box (below) for its vermiculture project.