SAN JOSE, Antique – Sixty-seven Antiqueño sugar migrants, locally known as sacadas, have received P10,000 each in livelihood assistance from the provincial government.
Randy Ardeño, in charge of the Sacada desk, said on July 17 Gov. Rhodora Cadiao has been initiating the provision of assistance to the sugar migrants since 2017.
Every year, 120 sacadas are chosen to receive livelihood assistance, Ardeño said.
They were able to distribute the aid to 32 sugar migrants from the southern part of this province on July 14, and 35 sacadas from the north on July 16.
The assistance – first distributed in June – primarily aims to help the sugar migrants find alternative livelihood in this province so they would no longer return working in Negros Occidental.
The distribution was held at the Provincial Capitol satellite office in Culasi town.
The sugar migrants can use their money to buy goods for their small grocery stores or piglets to raise in their backyards, said Ardeño.
“The sacadas could also use the amount to buy a cow, which they can use to till the land or for dairy purposes,” he added.
As of Friday, the target of 120 sugar migrants for this year has been completed.
“The sacadas who received (the aid) on Thursday belonged to the last batch already for this year,” he said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
