TACLOBAN CITY– Some 52 farmers associations and local chief executives in Eastern Visayas have received livelihood assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 8 and Tingog Sinirangan party-list in the form of farm inputs, quality seeds, fertilizer voucher subsidy and other interventions during the ceremonial turnover held on Thursday in Sta. Fe gym, Sta. Fe, Leyte.
The ceremonial distribution of agricultural interventions to farmer-beneficiaries and LCEs was led by DA-8 Regional Director Angel C. Enriquez and Tingog party-list represented by Jaime Go.
In her short message during the AyuDA Parag-Uma Forum, Enriquez reiterated the President’s goal to revitalize the agriculture sector which is one of the priorities of the present administration.
The purpose in giving assistance to farmers and some LCEs is to boost agricultural production, Enriquez said.
However, the DA official reminded farmers to use the said assistance productively.
“Gusto niya to boost local production. How can you boost local production? Increase in productivity? Isa na itong seeds na ipinamimigay namin pero gamiton niyo naman sa tama. Huwag nyo naman ipamili kasi nag-i-invest tayo dito, mahal ito,” Enriquez said.
Among the recipients of rice hybrid seeds, vegetables seeds, fertilizer voucher subsidy and other livelihood assistance or agricultural interventions from the government are 40 farmers associations comprising 330 farmers and some local government units from various municipalities in the region particularly in the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.
In terms of monetary value, the total amount of the agricultural inputs disbursed was P36,446,951.
On the same occasion, 12 units of farm machineries and irrigation equipment, and delivery trucks under the Rice, Corn and High Value Crops Development Program amounting to P15,244,203 were also turned over to 10 farmer-associations.
The recipients are the following: Lateral Irrigators Farmers Association in Alang-Alang, Leyte; Paghudlan Rising Sun Farmers Association in Burauen, Leyte; Teraza Integrated Farmers Association and Palo Agri-business Enterprise Farmers Association, both in Palo, Leyte; Del Carmen Farmers Association, San Isidro Farmers Association, Labiranan Riverside Farmers Association, Crowning Glory Cooperative, all in Dulag, Leyte; and Bayo-Pilar-Roxas Irrigators Association and Caglawaan Multi-Purpose Farmers Association in Jaro, Leyte.
Some of the farm machineries and equipment that were distributed were hauling trucks, multi-cultivator, grass cutter, pump and engine set, four-wheel drive tractor, and cacao processing facility.
(MMP/CBA/PIA-8)
