29/07/2026
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๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ | SAAD Sorsogon farmers lead with ADDbility thru challenges and chickens
In the quiet communities of Sorsogon, stories of progress rise from poultry houses, told not only by the farmers themselves but echoed by neighbors who witness their daily perseverance. Whether cleaning coops or feeding chickens, each act reflects a deep sense of commitment and camaraderie.
Among them are Efren L. Fabilane and Rafael B. Belgica, two farmers whose journeys serve as a reminder that disability is never a barrier to making meaningful contributions. Their lives embody the spirit of ADDbility: their added ability to give, to endure, and to inspire.
Steadfast in service
Tatay Efren shared that his story shaped his strength. As a child, an accident involving a carabao left him with kyphosis, an abnormal forward rounding of the upper back, commonly known as a hunchback. This condition could have easily defined his limits, but instead became part of his growth story.
With more than two decades of farming experience, Efren has supported his family through rice, coconut, and abaca cultivation, with each crop demanding patience and grit. His livelihood journey was full of discipline to tend to the fields, season after season, diversifying his income sources and facing market uncertainties.
Now, as part of the Fabrica Farmerโs Association, a SAAD Phase 2 beneficiary, Efren channels that same courage into poultry farming. His hands, once accustomed to planting rice and harvesting abaca, now care for chickens that symbolize both livelihood and hope.
Just last year, Typhoon Uwan left significant damage to the Fabrica FAโs poultry and center house. Yet members recall seeing Tatay Efren climb onto the roof, hammer in hand, driving nails to keep the structure secure.
โPirmi kita nagtatabang kay sino pa man magtatarabangan kundi kita-kita na miyembro sini na asosasyon. Pirmi kita dini nasasalanta san bagyo, dapat maayos ta tulos para ok an ato manukan,โ Tatay Efren shared.
(We always help each other in this association. Whenever we get hit by typhoons, we make sure to work together to save our production).
Tatay Efrenโs steady hands and watchful eyes mirror the discipline of poultry care, where he helps nurture growth, safeguards against harm, and ensures that every effort contributes to the welfare of the whole. Today, Efren is celebrated within the Fabrica Poultry Farmers Association as a model of perseverance.
Tatay Rafaelโs leadership in Canjela
At the far end of the road, roughly 17 kilometers from the town center of Castilla, lies Canjela, a community defined by hope and home to the Canjela Poultry Farmersโ Association president, Rafael Belgica.
As a child, he was struck by polio, a disease that attacks the nervous system and often targets children under five. He recalls those years vividly, when vaccines were scarce, and hospital visits meant confronting the reality of living with polio. Yet, despite the weight of this, Tatay Rafael never allowed it to dictate his future.
In 2015, he returned from Manila to rebuild his life with his wife. Back in Canjela, he immersed himself in farming, selling backyard-grown vegetables to his neighbors. His harvests like eggplant, okra, tomatoes, sili, pineapple, pili, langka, cassava, and sweet potato became both livelihood and lifeline, proof that perseverance could yield abundance.
A turning point came in 2024, when the Department of AgricultureโSpecial Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Program delivered the poultry package to Canjela. For Rafael and his association, it was more than just chickens; it was a chance to transform their community. From that moment, Canjela Poultry FA grew into a progressive organization, with farm records reflecting growth.
โPigsasabi ko pirmi sa mga ka-miyembro na talagang dai dapat magtatapos an samuyang operasyon sa poultry maski grumaduate kami sa SAAD. Mapadagos pa kami hanggang magkaigwang urigan, total dae man imposible ta dae man mamomroblema ta igwa na kaming pangpuhunan," Tatay Rafael added.
(I always remind our group of our commitment to our poultry production even after graduating from the SAAD Program. We will pursue our goal of having our own swinery through proper investments and funding.)
Their poultry house, built on Rafaelโs elevated land, stands as a symbol of collective effort. Maintained with care and cleanliness, it reflects the associationโs pride in their work.
Today, the Canjela Poultry Farmers Association and the Fabrica Farmers Association provide about 300 to 400 fresh eggs daily to the local population as a means of improving food security for their respective communities.
Together, Tatay Efren and Tatay Rafael lead associations that flourish despite adversity. Their stories prove that disability does not define destiny. Instead, resilience, shared responsibility, and unwavering commitment shape the future of farming communities.
Their journeys are more than personal triumphs; they are collective testaments to ADDbility. By giving without hesitation and working beyond self-interest, they empower their associations and inspire others to believe in the transformative power of agriculture.
Writer: Denise Ann A. Ortiz, DA-SAAD Bicol PRDC Unit
With Reports from:
Maria Ligaya Renegado, DA-SAAD Bicol Associate Project Officer
Jeremy Astillero, DA-SAAD Bicol Community Development Officer
Arnel D. Destacamento, SAAD Data Controller IV
