In celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) Month and in recognition of their invaluable contributions, Mindoro State University (MinSU) has continued to show its commitment to improving the lives of IPs while preserving their cultural heritage. As a university championing culture and heritage, MinSU has been implementing various extension services to support IPs, who are often the most vulnerable and underserved communities.
One of the extension projects conducted was the "Establishment of Organic Production Facility as a Sustainable Enterprise for Four Mangyan Communities in Oriental Mindoro" started last February 2024 with series of capability trainings and startup supports. The said extensions services directly benefited the Buhid and Bangon Tribes in Sitio Atoy, Leguma, and Bayang, Lisap, Bongabong, as well as the Tau-Buid tribe in Sitio Bungkarot, Buong Lupa, Gloria in Oriental Mindoro.
The project provided these communities with composting facilities, which they constructed using the skills acquired in the previous university-sponsored trainings on hollow block making and masonry. This not only equipped the tribes with construction skills but also empowered them to take pride and ownership of the facility-building process.
Aside from construction of the composting facilities, the Mangyans were also trained in facility maintenance and compost management. Also, MinSU provided them with hands-on instruction in operating shredders for biomass processing, a key component in vermiculture production. Additionally, they learned the cultivation of African Night Crawlers (ANC), focusing on feeding techniques, optimal harvesting times for compost, and monitoring the entire composting process for successful outcomes.
To ensure the project's sustainability, the MinSU’s Research, Development, and Extension (RDE) Department has been conducting regular project progress monitoring. Most recently, on October 3-4 and October 7-8, 2024, the MinSU Project Team, led by Engr. Randy A. Joco, visited the four community sites for a monthly monitoring. After nearly seven months since the facility's establishment, the project has shown remarkable success. The communities have already harvested over 90 kilograms of compost from a single composting block, which they are now applying as natural fertilizers in their agricultural production areas—an additional MinSU-led initiative.
Furthermore, the initial 1 kilogram of ANC provided as a startup support has doubled in weight, showing significant progress in the communities’ vermiculture production. The compost and ANC not only enhance agricultural productivity but also open new revenue streams, as ANC selling price at Php 600 per kilogram and a 25-kilogram sack of compost fetching Php 600-700. This additional income greatly supports the livelihoods of these communities.
MinSU remains committed to guiding the IPs through multiple harvest cycles, equipping them to sustain these practices independently and strengthen self-reliance, thereby uplift the standard of their living.
This project, supported by PCAARRD under the ST4CID program, is spearheaded by a dedicated team including Engr. Joco, Ms. Roxanne Fabriquel, Engr. Arvin Tolentino, Engr. Carl Mudat, Engr. Jerrel S. Reyes, Mr. Walter Jatico, Mr. Reynaldo S. Manalo, Mr. Jorge Gawad, and Mr. Nathaniel Umac. The initiative is being closely monitored under the leadership of Extension Director Dr. Lourdes V. Icalla and supported by MinSU's Vice President for Research, Development, and Extension (VPRDE), Dr. Christian Anthony C. Agutaya, ST4CID Focal Person Dr. Erwin Icalla, as well as the university's former and current presidents, Dr. Levy V. Arago and Dr. Enya Marie D. Apostol.
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(Engr. Randy A. Joco)
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