Culture-driven livelihoods in Mountain Province get stronger gov’t backing

BONTOC, Mountain Province — Culture-driven enterprises in Mountain Province are getting a fresh boost as the national government steps up support for community-based livelihood projects that combine income generation with heritage preservation.

The initiative is anchored on the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which funds and mentors organized community associations.

During a Feb. 20 visit to Bontoc, DSWD Secretary Rexlon T. Gatchalian reaffirmed support for micro-enterprises rooted in local identity, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to check projects on the ground.

In Barangay Maligcong, members of the KAPANATA SLP Association (SLPA) demonstrated their coffee-making process and proposed expansion into tea production, and tourism partnerships with local guides.

Mr. Gatchalian welcomed the plan, saying culturally-anchored businesses have longer staying power than conventional small enterprises and urged proponents to craft clear business plans to position Mountain Province as a tourism destination.

Mr. Gatchalian with DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao and DSWD-Cordillera regional officials also visited the Balili Kalalaydan SLPA’s meat-processing enterprise, citing it as proof that community-driven projects can grow steadily with sustained support. “The more unique the product line, the more excited we are,” Mr. Gatchalian said, noting that tourism-oriented ventures — from coffee and tea to guided tours — offer both income and cultural preservation.

Aside from visiting the SLPAs, the DSWD chief led the ribbon-cutting of a community footpath project in Sitio Fang-urao, Maligcong.

He also highlighted similar thriving SLP-backed initiatives across the Cordillera, including in Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, and Apayao, where weaving, rice production, coffee, bamboo crafts, and agroforestry enterprises strengthen local economies and preserve heritage.

Declared an adopted son of Mountain Province with the cultural name “Sumeg-ang,” Mr. Gatchalian assured local leaders that distance from Metro Manila would not limit support. “Mountain Province has vast potential, and the national government will continue backing projects that are meaningful, productive, and culturally rooted,” he said, emphasizing that community-driven, culture-based enterprises are key to inclusive and sustainable growth. — Artemio A. Dumlao