GFF HELPS PHILLIPINES SUSTAINABLE PROJECT “TULAY”
ACCREDITATION OF THE GFF HELPS AKLAN WORKERS’ ASSOCIATION
The accreditation process for the GFF HELPS Aklan Workers’ Association is currently underway with the Municipal Council of Kalibo Town. This step is crucial for the association to be officially recognized as a business entity. We have submitted all required documents except for the certification from the Philippine National Police (PNP). While we await the PNP certification, the Municipal Council of Kalibo Town has reviewed our documents and instructed us to make the necessary payment for the certification. We are now awaiting the issuance of the certificate. Although this accreditation is not the final step in the legal process, it represents significant progress towards completion.
The GFF HELPS Aklan Workers’ Association is officially registered under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). To initiate a sustainable project, it is essential to register the association with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Kalibo Town, where the GFF HELPS office is located. This registration will allow the association to legally commence business operations.
This month, we are actively processing the accreditation of the association with the LGU. As part of the accreditation process, we need to secure the signatures of all Board Members and Elected Officers. To facilitate this, we have begun visiting association members at their homes to collect their signatures, ensuring that all necessary documentation is in order for submission.
Some members of the GFF HELPS Aklan Workers’ Association are signing the documents as Board Members, while others are signing as Elected Officers.
Submitting profiles to the Regional Police Office
Submitting the personal information of the association members in CAMP PASTOR MARTELINO – AKLAN POLICE PROVINCIAL OFFICE at New Buswang Village in Kalibo.
One of the requirements for accreditation is obtaining a certificate from the Regional Police Office. To fulfill this, we returned to CAMP PASTOR MARTELINO at the Aklan Police Provincial Office located in New Buswang Village, Kalibo. While we initially submitted the profiles of the association members and the Letter of Request via email, we were instructed to also submit these documents in person at their office.
The issuance of the certificate will take some time, as it requires a thorough background check of all members. We have reassured the association members that their personal information is securely handled and protected throughout this process.
Submitting documents to the Planning Department of LGU Kalibo.
After completing the collection of signatures from the Board Members and Elected Officials, we had the documents notarized at a law office. Once notarized, all the documents were submitted to the Planning Department of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Kalibo Town. The submitted documents will now be reviewed by the members of the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council), and we are awaiting their update on the results.
While this is not yet the end of the legalization process, and there is still a long way to go, it is encouraging that we are already well underway. We remain optimistic about the outcome.
product survey
“La Felicidad Granja Farm”
In addition to collecting signatures, we also conducted a product survey of the association members who own farms. This survey is crucial as it helps us better understand the range of products being cultivated by our members, enabling us to identify potential markets, collaboration opportunities, and areas where the association can provide additional support or resources.
One of our visits was to La Granja Farm in Lapnag Village, where we met with Mr. Edgar Rebaño, a member of the association. Mr. Rebaño signed the necessary documents for accreditation, and we took the opportunity to survey his farm. His farm is quite diverse, producing African catfish fingerlings, tilapia, duckweeds, mushrooms, pineapples, and various other fruits.
“Villanueva Farm”
We also visited Ugsod Village to meet with two key members of the association, Mr. Roger Villanueva and Mr. Vicente Villanueva, who are relatives with complementary skills that are invaluable to our community. Mr. Roger is an experienced farmer who manages a farm where he grows a variety of plants and raises pigs, contributing significantly to our agricultural projects. Mr. Vicente, a skilled technician, balances his full-time job with maintaining a backyard farm where he occasionally raises pigs, bringing both technical expertise and farming experience to the table.
During our visit, both signed the necessary accreditation documents, reinforcing their commitment to the association’s goals. Their combined expertise in farming and technical work is crucial as we continue to develop and support sustainable projects within the community.
“Banihit Farm”
Another key member of our association is Ms. Herminia Banihit, who serves as the Treasurer. She, along with her family, manages a diverse farm that contributes significantly to the local agricultural landscape. Their farm is home to cows and calves, chickens, and a variety of crops, including bok choy, sponge gourds, soursops, and other vegetables.
Ms. Banihit’s dedication to both her role as Treasurer and her responsibilities on the farm exemplifies the commitment and resourcefulness that our association values. Her farm’s diverse production adds valuable resources to our community’s sustainable projects and helps to strengthen our collective efforts.
ANITA’S CALAMANSI FARM
The purpose of a product survey of farms is to collect detailed information about agricultural products, farming practices, and market conditions. This helps in understanding the types of crops or livestock being produced, assessing their quality and yield, identifying market trends and demands, and discovering potential areas for improvement or innovation. This information supports better decision-making for farm management, product development, and strategic planning. Meanwhile, our team continues to conduct weekly visits to various farms while the legal processes are underway.
Calamansi, also known as Philippine lime or calamondin, is a small citrus fruit that is widely used in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries. It can be squeezed for its juice, which is often used as a condiment, marinade, or ingredient in beverages, sauces, and desserts. Mrs. Anita De Tomas (not a member of the association) is a widow and a tenant in the land where these Calamansi Trees were planted. She’s looking after the farm for many years already and the products supported her family until now that she’s a widow already. She said that Calamansi can produce fruit year-round under the right conditions. However, the peak fruiting season typically occurs during the warmer months. The price per kilo of Calamansi ranges from ₱ 30.00 – ₱ 50.00. Her farm can produce 50 kilos of Calamansi during off season and 60-80 kilos during the peak season.
EMEVELYN MIEL’S RESIDENCE
The purpose of a product survey of farms is to collect detailed information about agricultural products, farming practices, and market conditions. This helps in understanding the types of crops or livestock being produced, assessing their quality and yield, identifying market trends and demands, and discovering potential areas for improvement or innovation. This information supports better decision-making for farm management, product development, and strategic planning. Meanwhile, our team continues to conduct weekly visits to various farms while the legal processes are underway.
Mrs. Emevelyn Miel is a member and Business Manager of the GFF HELPS AKLAN WORKERS’ ASSOCIATION living in Agbanawan Village in the town of Banga. She manages a sari-sari store (neighborhood convenience store) in her home. She sells variety of things such as school supplies, household items, clothes, shoes, and some candies. The supplier is her daughter living in Manila and supplies are transported as cargos. She also makes dishwashing soaps and fabric conditioner. She sells it ₱ 25.00 for 500 ml bottle and ₱ 50.00 for 1000 ml bottle. for The ingredients are also supplied by her daughter. She also looks after a rice farm owned by her family.
LIBACAO PUBLIC MARKET
The Libacao Public Market, located in Poblacion Village, Libacao, Aklan, serves as a key drop-off point for products from various surrounding villages. One of Libacao’s renowned products is pineapple fiber, which is highly sought after for its quality. Buyers frequently visit Libacao to purchase threaded pineapple fibers from locals at ₱75.00 per kilo. Additionally, unthreaded pineapple fibers are sold at ₱20.00 per bunch, which locals buy to thread and later resell at a profit.
The market is also known for its abundance of lanzones (also called langsat), a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia. Known for its sweet and slightly tangy flavor, this fruit is sold by vendors at ₱50.00 per pack.
We conducted a survey at the Agri-Aqua Training Center located in Nalook Village, New Washington Town. The center is dedicated to offering hands-on education and training in both agriculture and aquaculture. Currently, they sell lettuce in cups for ₱25.00 and grown lettuce for ₱200.00 per kilo. They also offer a variety of fruit-bearing tree seedlings priced between ₱100.00 and ₱250.00. The soil they use is primarily made from coconut husk fiber enriched with vitamins. In the future, they plan to expand their offerings by introducing dairy products from carabao.
Mr. Saom emphasized the necessity of creating a website to effectively market our products. While we were familiar with platforms like Amazon and Etsy, we initially didn’t see the need for a dedicated website, especially since Facebook dominates marketing in the Philippines. However, recognizing that our products could potentially reach international markets, we understand that having a website will be essential.
On September 20, 2024, we met with Mr. Tashi Bhutia, an Indian web developer and close friend of Mr. Saom. He guided us through the process of purchasing a domain on GoDaddy.com. By September 24, 2024, we successfully acquired the domain tulaypinas.com. Following the purchase, Mr. Tashi advised us to store all documents related to the sustainable project in the Google Drive associated with our new Gmail account. On September 25, 2024, Mr. Tashi happily announced on our WhatsApp group chat that the server and the domain were already configured.
Currently, we are working on product photography and creating an Excel sheet to detail each product. Our goal is to complete these tasks by the end of September. We also plan to purchase a theme to enhance the overall look and feel of our website.
GFF HELPS NEPAL SUSTAINABLE PROJECT Aarambha
Meeting with “CDS” members about sustainable project “AArambha”.
After Sir Owen’s visit here in Nepal we’ve been working to establish a sustainable project here in Nepal involving the mothers from “SEEP”. “SEEP” was established by our partner organization “CDS” to empower women through education and self-employment. The members of “SEEP” are women from underprivileged families. Some women are laborers at carpet factories, daily wagers, and single mothers. “CDS” provides them with opportunities for education and various skillful training.
GFF Helps Nepal also assists the mothers by providing them with classes in the English language, pickle-making training, leaf plate-making training, masks, cushion-making, bags-making training, etc. Currently the sustainable project “Aarambha” is also for the mothers for their sustainability.
In August we had a meeting with our partner organization “CDS” where we shared all the research that we had been doing for the past two months related to project “Aarambha” and we also took their feedback to proceed further with the project.
Similarly, we had a meeting with the mothers from “SEEP” and shared the details about project “Aarambha” with them. The mothers present seemed to be very happy about the project.
Meeting with Mothers for Project Aarambha through presentation
On September 13, we had a meeting with mothers from “SEEP”. The meeting was about sustainable project “Aarambha” where we provided information to the mothers about the project. We also prepared presentation slides so that the mothers can understand better. We also discussed about the roles of GFF Helps Reps for the project. The mothers provided positive feedbacks related to the progress of the project and showed their interest to be part of the project.
We also had meeting with our local partner organization “CDS” regarding the progress of project “Aarambha.”
Some of the mothers are really hopeful regarding this project and few of them have already signed the membership forms as well.
Himalayan Haat – Website and Logo Creation
GFF HELPS india SUSTAINABLE PROJECT Himalayan Haat
On the 10th of September, GFF Helps Representatives along with Mr Sanjok, the GFF Helps India Office Assistant, sat down for an online meeting with Mr Tashi, a professional web designer.
After thorough discussions and scrutiny, the domain name “ Himalayanhaat.in” for our sustainable project has been bought by the Project Director.
A logo for our sustainable project has also been created by the web designer.
Local Lollipop and Handkerchief factory
GFF Helps India has been working towards their Sustainable Development Project called the Himalayan Haat. The representatives have been continuing with their in-depth market surveys of various product. This month the representatives first visited the Local Bisu Handkerchief factory which is one of the most famous products sold in Kalimpong. They also visited the Handmade paper factory which is the last remaining handmade paper factory in Kalimpong. The representatives also visited the tasty Local Lollipop factory located in 7th Mile. The handkerchief, handmade paper and lollipop as not only local products but they also carry a lot of cultural and historical significance and are products which are very high in demand.
Himalayan Haat Product Surveys
Mr. Rishi Raj Pradhan from Kalimpong grows local coffee and so the representatives visited his coffee farm and factory where the Himali Highland Organic Coffee are produced. The visit was very interesting as he delved deep into the way coffee is produced in the Himalayan town of Kalimpong and the types of varieties that he has been growing. During the visit the representatives deeply learned the making process of these unique products and gathered information about the various factory prices and selling prices. They also explained the vision of Himalayan Haat and were able to successfully secure partnership with them.
Na-choz Food Factory
GFF Helps India representatives Surabhi and Bipasha visited the Na-choz food factory along with the interns Ms Veronica and Ms Shannon to conduct a product survey for our sustainable project. We came across a variety of products made by the food factory and checked for the prices and the other specific details for each one of them,
We met Mr Sonam, the owner and after conducting the survey and explaining our upcoming project to him, we were able to foster a business network with him. Mr Sonam wishes our project the best and looks forward to collaborating with us in the near future.
MS. REBEKAH’S RESIDENCE
Ms Rebekah Namchu is a hardworking local entrepreneur who has a lot of expertise in preparing traditional local snacks. She has been selling them at the local market and also prepares them on order.
Surabhi and Bipasha visited her residence on the 13th of September and conducted a thorough product survey of all the available local snacks there. Ms Rebekah has positively agreed to collaborate with us in our sustainable project.
Nirmal Farms
Nirmal Farms, located at Bada Mangwa, is a brand synonymous with fruit juice and jams in the Kalimpong and Darjeeling Districts.
GFF Helps representatives along with the interns Veronica and Shannon visited the Nirmal Farms on the 14th of September under the guidance of Mr Satyaki Lopchan.
Not only were the GFF Helps India team able to find out the prices of the products but after discussions with Mr Prawesh Gurung, the proprietor of Nirmal Farms, we were able to fester a good usiness network bond there. Nirmal Farms looks forward to collaborating with Himalayan Haat in the future.