In the upland communities of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), where water access and food production remain daily challenges, small reservoirs and communal gardens are quietly transforming the lives of Cordillerans.

Through Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) at BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is helping communities adapt to climate challenges while strengthening food security, livelihoods, and collective action.

Province-by-province impact

For 2025 alone, the projects, carried out by the DSWD’s Field Office – Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD FO-CAR), benefited a total of 7,750 individuals across the region’s six provinces, covering a total of 184 BINHI and 157 LAWA sites.

The province of Ifugao has recorded the highest number of sites, assisting 1,250 beneficiaries through 43 BINHI sites totaling 65,780 square meters, and 43 LAWA sites covering 43,000 square meters.

Mountain Province has 1,250 beneficiaries in 2025, with 40 BINHI sites spanning 1,852 square meters, and 23 LAWA sites with a combined area of 3,000 square meters.

In Abra, the project had 1,900 beneficiaries, with 46 BINHI sites covering a total of 16,200 square meters and 37 LAWA sites spanning 3,279 square meters.

Another 1,200 beneficiaries in Apayao benefited from 20 BINHI sites covering 37,500 square meters, alongside 22 LAWA sites also totaling 12,150 square meters, significantly expanding water access and food production capacity.

Some 1,100 beneficiaries in Benguet province were supported through 33 BINHI sites with a combined area of 1,393 square meters, and four LAWA sites covering 4,000 square meters.

And finally, in Kalinga, the project supported 1,050 beneficiaries through 19 LAWA sites, strengthening irrigation and water access for food production.

Harvesting the fruit of labor

Across the Cordillera region, beneficiaries cultivated a wide range of crops, including pechay, ampalaya, sitaw, sili, talong, kamote, kalabasa, kamatis, okra, kangkong, as well as fruit-bearing plants such as rambutan and buko.

Seeds and fingerlings were provided through partnerships with local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders, as well as coordination with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

As of September 30, 2025, agricultural products harvested from BINHI and LAWA sites reached a total of 15,305 kilograms, with ₱330,500 worth of produce sold, providing families with both food on the table and income to sustain their needs.

Recently, the Sasagadasa Group from Balugan, Sagada, Mountain Province also successfully harvested 65.25 kilograms of paltat (catfish) and 85.25 kilograms of tilapia from a LAWA site, adding to the growing number of harvests made from the project.

Empowering communities

Beyond harvest yields and infrastructure, partner-beneficiaries described the projects as catalysts for empowerment, particularly for community leaders.

Ailyn Supnet, a partner-beneficiary from Barangay Quillat in Langiden, Abra, shared how Project LAWA at BINHI made an impact in their community.

“As a woman po, nagkaroon kami ng power to contribute and also to decide para sa aming community. Also, makadadagdag siya ng kaalaman sa buong community namin, and magiging guide siya sa mga kabataan. So, yung small na project na ito, magkakaroon po siya ng malaking impact sa bansa natin lalo na po sa sektor ng agrikultura,” Ailyn said.

In Mountain Province, partner-beneficiary Relbert Salcedo from Ambasing, Sagada highlighted how shared work fostered unity and collective problem-solving in their community.

“Ang masasabi ko sa project ng DSWD na LAWA at BINHI ay maganda. Binago ng proyektong ito ang pananaw at kaisipan ng bawat isa, na sa pagkakaisa ay doon nasosolusyunan ang hindi pagkakaunawaan,” Relbert noted.

For Jo-Ann Sipit, a partner-beneficiary from Barangay San Gregorio in Luna, Apayao, the projects provided not only food and income but stability for individuals in their community.

“Very beneficial po siya kasi nakakatulong po siya sa amin. Malaki po yung impact niya sa community… Yung mga produkto namin ay nakatulong sa amin para unti-unting maiangat ang buhay ng aming pamilya. Nakatulong talaga ito para mas umunlad at umasenso ang aming mga pamilya,” Jo-Ann said.

Growing resilience

By combining water access, food production, and community participation, Project LAWA at BINHI demonstrated how localized, people-centered interventions can address climate vulnerability and poverty simultaneously.

In the Cordilleras, what began as small reservoirs and communal gardens are now cultivating something far more enduring: self-reliance, shared responsibility, and hope for a more food-secure future.

Launched in 2023 under the DSWD’s Risk Resiliency Program (RRP), the projects aim to build climate-resilient communities by addressing water scarcity and food insecurity.

Project LAWA focuses on the establishment of small farm reservoirs and fish ponds, ensuring year-round water access for irrigation and food production, while Project BINHI builds and supports communal gardens that allow partner-beneficiaries to grow crops for household consumption and income generation. (CC)