Brgy. Rizal, Batuan, Bohol is considered to be the “Amakan” capital of the municipality. Amakan is a bamboo walling made of woven bamboo strips commonly used in walls and panels.

Living up to this title is the Rizal Amakan Pantawid Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) who ventured into backyard amakan production through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

Before they became program participants of the SLP, most of the SLPA members have already been engaged into amakan weaving since the area has high production of bamboo. Each one has an individual business out from it. They admitted that they could hardly sell the amakan products since they don’t have regular buyers.

The DSWD Municipal Action Team (MAT) of Batuan introduced the program participants to the livelihood program.

On May 23, 2016, the Rizal Amakan Pantawid SLPA was organized by Project Development Officer Vito L. Butal and Janeth Gallo under the Micro-Enterprise Development track. The association was provided with Seed Capital Fund (SCF) in the amount of Php 240,000.00.

The association has 40 members – 35 females and 5 males. All of them are also Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiaries. The PDOs have assisted them in realizing this project. They facilitated the members’ attendance to several trainings like Financial Literacy training, Time and Management and Recording training in preparation for the operation of their business.

In December 2016, the association has started operating the amakan production. The members agreed to sell the amakan per ply. The plain 4×6 feet amakan costs Php 125.00 and 4×8 feet, Php 175.00. For decorative amakan, 4×6 feet costs Php 100.00 and 4×8 feet, Php 120.00.

The group is able to save for lot rental for their amakan stockroom, which they themselves built. The association president offered the free use of the lot.

“Sauna, simple ra kaayo akong kinabuhi, naa rako kasagaran sa balay. Apan pag-abot sa SLP sa DSWD, wa ko magdahum nga naa diay ingon ani nga suporta sa gobyerno nga maghatag og dugang kita kanamo (Before, my life was just simple. But when we have the SLP of the DSWD, I never thought that there is a government program that provides livelihood support to people, like us),” said Ma. Madelyn Carpentero, SLPA President.

In 2017, the Batuan Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), provided a technical assistance to the SLPA participants through a skills training on bamboo product enhancement. They also offered a cash for work project in planting bamboo trees in the barangay to supply and sustain the primary source of people’s livelihood.

Each member produces more or less 5 plies in a day. The association’s regular buyers come from Ubay and Sagbayan, Bohol. These retailers deliver their amakan materials to Leyte Province. Now, the group earns about Php 50,000.00 a month.

As part of the group’s initiative to uplift the members’ spirit of bayanihan especially for the operation of their business, the association has established the patronage refund scheme. Every member will be given Php 1.00 for every ply of amakan she or he has sold.

“Dako og naambag ang programa sa among kinabuhi kay nakakita nami’g regular buyers para sa among mga amakan. Usahay, makapalit kog bugas, o gamit sa mga bata sa eskwelahan, o sud-an namo ug uban pa gumikan sa halin namo niini (The program has been of help to us because through the SLP we have identified regular buyers for our amakan. I can now buy rice, or school supplies for our children, or viand out from the sales of the amakan), said Madelyn. ###

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