Assisted Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) across the six provinces of Cordillera convened for the Department of Agriculture – CAR Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) Program Year-End Review and Planning held on February 18-21, 2025.
The event served as a platform for assessing the progress of ongoing interventions and strategizing future initiatives develop their respective ancestral domains.
Participants included representatives from various IPOs, such as the Domolpos-Ansipsip Ancestral Domain IPO (DAADIPO), Lusod-Ambasa Ancestral Domain IPO (LAADIPO), Maeng Tubo Ancestral Domain IPO (MATADIPO), SuMalBe IPO (SUMALBEIPO), Nabuangan Ancestral Domain IPO (NADIPO), Emajawjaw IPO and Kadaclan IPO.
Dr. Aida Pagtan, the first speaker at the event, emphasized the importance of integrating gender perspectives at every stage of project planning and implementation, particularly in agriculture.
She stressed that fostering gender-responsive leadership and equitable training opportunities is key to achieving sustainable development. She emphasized that addressing gender imbalances not only empowers Indigenous communities but also strengthens the entire agricultural value chain, creating a more inclusive and resilient sector.
After Dr. Pagtan’s presentation, each group presented their organizational profile and status of agency interventions in their respective areas, highlighting both achievements and challenges encountered during implementation.
The presentations underscored the significant improvements in livelihoods brought about by various subprojects, including coffee, banana, and sugarcane production; footpaths; water irrigation; farm clustering; and product development initiatives.
Moreover, traditional community-driven systems such as binaddang (cooperative labor), tongtongan (conflict resolution), and lapat (land and resource management) remain vital in ensuring the success of these programs. Indigenous products are also being showcased in local festivals, providing opportunities for better market access and increased economic opportunities.
The participants further underwent a multi-year planning workshop for 2026 – 2028. After the workshop, participants were asked to present their outputs, highlighting key priorities across different ancestral domains. For Organizational part, the most common proposals included conducting a Year-End Organizational Assessment and preparing an Accomplishment Report. In Organizational Strengthening, priorities focused on project monitoring and evaluation, CSO accreditation, and barangay consultations.
In terms of Production component, participants emphasized the need for storage facilities, additional equipment, and coffee enrichment initiatives. Meanwhile, for Marketing and Promotion, there was a collective request for workshops and training on proper product cleaning, packaging, and digital marketing strategies to enhance market competitiveness.
Adding to the discussions, Charles Picpican, Planning Evaluation Officer, introduced the Results Chain Framework, which provided a structured approach to evaluating project impact. He emphasized the importance of inputs such as manpower, machinery, and financial resources in driving activities that lead to tangible outputs.
These outputs, in turn, would generate outcomes that would contribute to the overall long-term impact of development interventions. By understanding this framework, IPOs and stakeholders can better align their initiatives with their long-term sustainability and community resilience goals.