By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Enabling Ilokanos to start anew. 

The Extension Directorate (ED) of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) continues to assist Ilocos Norte returning residents to start their own entrepreneurial activities through its Balik-Probinsya livelihood program. 

To help people recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to their livelihood, the program equips beneficiaries with food processing and livestock raising skills, technologies, equipment and kits for free. 

On May 23, four residents from the towns of Badoc, Dingras, and Vintar received the models and modules on agri-fishery enterprise developed and being deployed by the MMSU-ED. 

Josephine Luna of Badoc, Glenda Demandante of Dingras, Marisa Cravalho and Rosemarie Licarte of Vintar joyfully received their livelihood packages for food processing at the university’s research, development, and extension building. Accompanied by their respective municipal agriculturists, each of them was given a customized food cart with processing kits and start-up ingredients. 

“Daytoy a proyekto ti MMSU ket dakkel a tulong kadakami a marigrigat. Namnamaek a babaen daytoy nga oportunidad, masupusupak dagiti kasapulan iti pamiliak,” expressed Licarte. [This project of MMSU is a big help to us who are less fortunate. I hope this opportunity would help me provide the needs of my family.] 

Gracing the distribution of livelihood packages, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis encouraged the project beneficiaries to sustain their livelihood ventures and serve as models of entrepreneurship in their respective communities. 

Extension Director Marilou Lucas said the project has already benefited 20 residents from the municipalities of Sarrat, Solsona, Marcos, Adams, Bacarra, Pasuquin, Currimao, Badoc, Piddig, and the City of Batac since last year. 

“The extension project supports the Balik-Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program of the Philippine government, which was institutionalized through Executive Order No. 114,” she added.

To avail of the program, applicants need to be endorsed by their respective local government units and validated by the university. 

PSCA said the project is among the high impact and transformative extension programs of the university, which is part of the university’s ACHIEVE agenda. (HLV/JVBT, StratCom)