Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has pledged continued and expanded support for agroforestry programs benefiting the indigenous Aeta community in Barangay Nabuclod.

During a recent visit to the upland village, Gatchalian reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to empowering indigenous peoples through sustainable farming and environmental livelihood initiatives.

In partnership with the Provincial Government of Pampanga, the DSWD is implementing a cash-for-work and food-for-work program involving 200 Aeta beneficiaries. The initiative focuses on planting additional bamboo and high-value crops to boost incomes and enhance environmental sustainability.

“Nabuclod is an asset because its bamboo forest has grown,” Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda said during the visit. “We will be training the Aetas in making bamboo byproducts while also supplying raw bamboo to furniture makers in Pampanga, Laguna, and Cebu.”

Provincial records show that from just 1,260 bamboo clumps in 2012, the plantation has grown to over 108,000 across a 536-hectare area—part of the Aetas’ ancestral domain. With this growth, the area is being positioned as a future bamboo hub with plans for a production center and warehouse to support processing and logistics.

Secretary Gatchalian encouraged the beneficiaries to stay committed to farming as a sustainable path to long-term poverty alleviation. He also pledged to return once the new bamboo planting phase is completed.

“This initiative is not just about livelihood—it’s about transformation,” he said.

Aeta leader and Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Ranny Casupanan welcomed the program, expressing hope that it would uplift their community and reduce dependence on begging.

The DSWD is also coordinating with other government agencies to provide technical support and agricultural inputs for the cultivation of other commercial crops to complement the bamboo project.