By National Agencies
Following the worst typhoon that ever landed in Eastern Visayas, the poor Warays scampered for food to sustain for food. While the DSWD and ably partnered by foreign and local NGOs and members of the international community, we, victims of the calamitous event were expecting other national agencies to role their sleeves and extend helping hands ASAP! Thus-
The Department of Agriculture together with its bureaus, e.g. Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), among others could have done their jobs to insure that food would be available in couple of weeks or months. Thus:
1. The DA – BPI. It’s now almost 2 months since Yolanda’s land fall. If only, this agency jiffily distributed (with fertilizers) vegetable seeds or preferably cuttings of Malunggay, Sweet Potato, Gabi and other members of the edible gabi family, and Pitsay, by this time the first 3 plant cuttings shall have already sprouted and ready for harvest and prepared as vegetables for the typhoon survivors; while, Pitsay seeds would have would have grown into harvestable stage!
It might be worth mentioning that some far-flung barangays of Burauen, did not have to wait for the relief goods (knowing that the dole outs will never reach them, anyway!), on their own started planting vegetable (cuttings) crops in their yards days after November 8th. Now they are enjoying the fruits of their labor, their initiative. My kudos for them! The same marginalized sector of the Burauen population have no idea of how foreign-made, donated canned sardines, carne norte, look like much more taste. With the indulgence of the readers, let me give credit where credit is due: then US-based younger brother, Dr. REYNALDO ALTERA CORDERO, a Doctor of Dental Medicine, now staying in Burauen, Leyte, did not lose his touch of manually tilling the soil our late father taught us. He initiated and encouraged our household assistants to convert our backyard into a vegetable garden. Now, he is reaping the fruits of his effort. He thought that his project would have a domino-effect and see our neighbors raise vegetables in their own backyards to solve food security after the unforgettable calamitous experience. (To be continued . . .).
