City of Bago initiates hen-housing venture for egg production

City of Bago initiates hen-housing venture for egg production

Bago City, Philippines - In a bid to enhance food security and provide new livelihood opportunities, the Bago City Government launched an egg-laying project in August 2025. The initiative, which received a seed capital of P500,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), aims to benefit the San Jose Farmers Association and the local community in Barangay San Jose and Barangay Calumangan.

The project, led by Mayor Marina Mayette Javellana-Yao, currently produces around 90 eggs daily from 90 heads of chickens raised in a 200-square meter facility. Judee Lynn Lirazan, head of the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office and City Cooperative Development Office, was present at the launching, along with other key stakeholders such as Social Welfare Officer II and Livelihood Focal Person Rhoda Alvarado, PCUP Area Coordinator Edmark Sabordo, Barangay Calumangan Captain Roberto Saylo, and personnel from DSWD-NIR and the CSWDO.

The San Jose Farmers Association, which was recently organized with the help of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and was endorsed to the DSWD through Program Convergence Budgeting under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty, is the main beneficiary of this project. The association's priority is food security, and the project is intended to support this goal by providing a sustainable source of eggs for the community.

The project reflects a strategic step towards food sustainability for Bagonhons by empowering the community through capacity building and collective effort. The Mayor emphasized that this initiative symbolizes how small, supported community projects can fight hunger and poverty effectively. City Social Welfare and Development Officer Leah Pilipina Canayon assured continued support and collaboration to help realize Mayor Javellana-Yao's Asenso Bago governance framework.

DSWD-NIR Project Development Officer II Geljane Premacio is hopeful for the successful implementation of other similar projects in the city. More chickens are expected to be received for the installation of eight additional cages in the production area. The launch of this project marks a significant step in the city's efforts to address food insecurity and promote economic growth within its farming communities.

Each egg laid and income created by the project, according to Javellana-Yao, is not just about food on the table, but about lives built on hope. The project is a shared vision, progress, and journey towards abundance, as described by Mayor Javellana-Yao. It is also a symbol of what's possible, according to the Mayor, and can grow into a powerful solution to hunger, poverty, and uncertainty.

The San Jose Farmers Association is one of 33 recipient-associations in Bago City this year under the Sustainable Livelihood Program, with a total funding of over P17 million. The eggs produced are primarily for community consumption and are sold at farmgate prices. The project is a testament to the power of community collaboration and government support in fighting hunger and poverty, and it is expected to move forward in livelihood and continue towards growth.

[1] Bago City Information Office. (2025, August 1). Bago City launches egg-laying project to boost community food security and livelihood. [Press Release]. [2] Javellana-Yao, M. M. (2025, August 5). Speech at the launching of the egg-laying project. [3] DSWD-SLP. (2025). Sustainable Livelihood Program. Retrieved from www.dswd-slp.gov.ph. [4] PCUP. (2025). Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor. Retrieved from www.pcup.gov.ph.

1. The San Jose Farmers Association, with the help of the government and various stakeholders, is using the funds from the Sustainable Livelihood Program to build a sustainable source of food-and-drink (eggs) for their community, aiming to improve their lifestyle and home-and-garden (housing conditions) through enhanced food security and economic growth.
2. The Bago City Government's egg-laying project, led by Mayor Marina Mayette Javellana-Yao, is not just about increasing food supply, but also about empowering the community by building their capacity and fostering collaboration, altering the trajectory of their lives toward hope, progress, and eventual abundance.

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