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Do you think this finalist deserves to be the Pitong Pinoy "People's Choice" awardee?
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Jerry Gumpad, is an ordinary overseas Filipino worker with an extra-ordinary advocacy.
A worker in Saudi Arabia, Pitong Pinoy nominee Gumpad has helped several
co-OFWs and other poor but highly-deserving farmers achieve better
lives through his mobile pigs program.
It was a simple plan that resulted to an enormous change: a female
piglet would be given to a deserving beneficiary to start a business.
Once the pig gives birth, the beneficiary will give one piglet back to
Gumpad, who will then give it to another deserving recipient.
“When the sow gives birth the recipient will only give 1 female piglet
to Jerry Mobile Pigs and all the rest of piglets will be for the
recipients. I do encourage them to let their friends and neighbors adopt
a few female piglets that they will take care of,” said Gumpad. The
cycle will continue until the initial pig has given birth for seven
times.
The program started in 2010 and has since helped provide livelihood to
at least 50 families in Abra, 30 families in Cagayan Valley, three
families in La Union, two families in Pangasinan, ten families in Bicol
Region and two families in Bohol.
One of Gumpad's benificiaries.Gumpad however admits it wasn’t easy.
“Monitoring as well as guiding them every day is most common in
development of adopted pigs by recipients,” said Gumpad. He adds that he
makes sure pigs are well-fed and taken care of so the program could
continue.
“We teach them how to plant forages, and do cuttings from mulberry and
madre de agua, so they could cut and lessen their budget in buying
commercial feeds,” Gumpad said.
Because of the project’s success, Gumpad also started the distribution of Carabaos, goats, and chickens.
“I do provide them with planting seeds or materials for organic feeds for their livestock,” Gumpad added.
Thus, Gumpad has proven that one need not be in power to help others and all it takes is a strong will to lend a hand.
Read about the other Pitong Pinoy finalists here.
