RC Marikina West Empowers Rural Women Farmers in Negros Oriental

After weeks of coordination with its NGO-partner, the Rotary Club of Marikina West (RCMW) led by its Good President Kevin Delfino - accompanied by Club Secretary Bryan Bohol, Immediate Past President Magnum Agpoa, and Past President Radian Fantone - finally went to the turnover ceremonies for its project, "Kabuhayan para kay Juan, Maria, at Pedro" on 6 September 2025.

RCMW Rotarians travelled 123 kilometers from Dumaguete City to the Municipality of La Libertad, Negros Oriental, which took around 3 hours via land travel. The turnover ceremonies were held at Barangay Manghulyawon.

This is a continuing high-impact project where RCMW was able to turnover four (4) carabaos and establish two (2) village banks to women farmers. Beneficiaries are women to empower and self-sustain themselves in terms of financial capabilities and not totally rely on their husbands. Carabaos are under the name of the women farmers.

The carabaos were given to women farmers of Barangay Bagtic and pledged to pass on an offspring to other women farmers thereby ensuring sustainability of the project and multiplying the economic impact within the communities.

As regards the establishment of village banks, seed capital of P20,000 each were given to the Bagtic Women's Association and Manghulyawon Women's Association. Both associations would match the seed capital given by RCMW. This would be a revolving fund where members of the association may apply for a loan for specific uses only, such as buying of seeds, farm implements, emergencies with small interest that would be retained by the associations.

As a backgrounder, this initiative started during Rotary Year 2023-24 under then-President Renny Domingo called "Kalabaw para kay Juan at Maria". Past President Levi Ugsad then connected RCMW with his sister, Ms. Nancy U. Estolloso, being the Executive Director of Tuburan for Rural Women Empowerment and Development, Inc(Tuburan).

Initially, ten (10) carabaos were donated to women farmers of Barangays Mandapaton and Mambulod in September 2023, as well as donating four (4) jetmatic water pumps to Barangay San Jose. In February 2024, RCMW went back and donated eight (8) carabaos to women farmers of Barangays Mapalasan and Nasunggan.

With this third iteration, RCMW has now donated a total of twenty-two (22) carabaos to various women farmers coming from various barangays in La Libertad.

This impactful project was made possible through the generous support of RCMW’s sister club, the Rotary Club of Taipei Tienmou (RI District 3521, Taiwan, R.O.C.), which contributed funding for its implementation.

RCMW is also grateful to our NGO-partner, Tuburan, for its unwavering efforts in coordinating between RCMW and the Municipality of La Libertad. RCMW sincerely appreciates this meaningful collaboration and looks forward to future joint initiatives.

The Rotary Club of Marikina West is committed in supporting women empowerment and accomplishing one of Rotary's Areas of Focus - community economic development.

Written by: Past President Radian Fantone