BRGY NED Brgy Ned is populated by 15,378 people who mostly depend on farming for their main source

of income. The population was dominated by Ilonggo (80%), with Tboli making up 15% and Cebuano 5% (Landcare in South Cotabato, 2003) Barangay Ned was located at about 13430 E and 610 N in the western half of Lake Sebu Municipality in South Cotabato Province, bounded by Sultan Kudarat Province in the north and west and Sarangani Province in the south. Ned has approximately 41,247 hectares of land area divided into 32 sitios at an average elevation of 800-900 m above sea level. Its size and relative isolation from the municipal centre made it a typical barangay, one that was identified as an incipient municipality. Barangay Ned has a Type IV climate, characterized by the absence of a pronounced maximum rain period and no dry season. The region is well outside the typhoon belt. The mean annual temperature is 21 C. July and August are the coolest months while the hottest period occurs between March and May. Relative humidity is generally high (81-90 %) in most months (Landcare of South Cotabato, 2003). The topography is rolling to mountainous with some areas of arable plateau, although the northern margins are characterized by gently rolling terrain and valleys. Dominant slopes are 12 to 40 per cent. Rivers, creeks, and streams abound. The area has abundant surface and groundwater and is generally well-drained. The soils are predominantly neutral to acidic sandyloams with a clay B horizon, of low to moderate fertility, and highly susceptible to erosion (Landcare of South Cotabato, 2003). Barangay Ned is located roughly 100 km from Koronadal, over 60 km from the National Highway at Isulan in Sultan Kudarat, and 45 kilometres from Sto. Nino the nearest market centre. Large trucks, jeepneys, and motorcycles are the modes of transportation, but motorcycles are used when road conditions deteriorated. The most populated sitios in Ned were those in the northern part of the barangay, which was most accessible to roads. Other sitios could only be reached on foot or horseback. Ned Proper, the original centre of barangay activities, was one of the least populated sitio because of limited accessibility and continual security problems (Landcare of South Cotabato, 2003). The remote location and inaccessibility of the barangay has hampered the development of infrastructure and delivery of services (Garcia et al. 1997, DAR 2000, 2002). There was no telephone line to the barangay, communication depending on two-way radios. There was no electricity supply apart from 20 or so small generators serving about 100 households. Most households relied on wood as fuel for cooking and gas lamps for light. Local springs were used to supply water. Other water sources included open wells, rivers, and creeks. There were health centres in nine sitio, but limited supply of medical services led residents to rely on traditional medicine or travel to medical practitioners in Isulan or Koronadal. There were 12 elementary schools and two high schools. A Catholic Church was located in Kibang while small chapels (Catholic and Protestant) were located in most sitio. Seven cooperatives had been registered in Ned between 1991 and 1999. Small general stores were found in most of the larger sitio, and maize shellers, rice millers, and solar driers were found throughout the area (Landcare of South Cotabato, 2003). .

Most households in Brgy Ned were employed in agriculture. Typically both household head and spouse were full-time farmers, either on their own land or as tenants. Farmers could obtain local off-farm employment on neighbouring farms for ploughing, planting, weeding, or harvesting. For ploughing, usually the farmer and his carabao were employed. Farmers employed in harvesting received a share of their daily harvest as payment. Farmers with horses could get employment hauling farm produce from the farms to the nearest point accessible to trucks. Some farmers, especially those near the population centres, are engaged in non-farm activities like trading, smithing, and carpentry (Landcare South Cotabato, 2003).