AGRICULTURE Secretary Proceso Alcala recently delivered million pesos worth of farm implements and assistance to farmers and fisherfolks in the typhoon-devastated municipalities of Pampanga, saying that President Aquino tasked him to help the affected residents in the province.
This developed as the secretary held a dialogue with affected farmers, fisherfolks, municipal mayors and provincial government officials led by Gov. Lilia G. Pineda in San Luis town, one of the heavily-affected municipalities in the province’s Fourth District and discussed strategies to address the agriculture problems in the province.
Pineda extended the provincial government’s gratitude to President Aquino, saying that the national government’s assistance would definitely help in the speedy rehabilitation and recovery of farmers and fisherfolks, whose crops were severely damaged by Typhoons Pedring and Quiel.
Alcala announced the provision of P29 million budget for the “palit tanim” or replanting of affected farmers with 100 percent assistance for planting of certified seeds for those with totally damaged crops and 50 percent for partially damaged crops.
The secretary initially turned over P10 million worth of two hand tractors, one four-wheel tractor, one manual and machine-operated rice sweeper, thresher, 24 drum seeders and a P2 million combined harvester.
More so, he committed the construction of two multipurpose drying pavements each to the nine heavily-flooded municipalities namely San Luis, Candaba, Masantol, Macabebe, Sasmuan, San Simon, Minalin,Magalang and Sto. Tomas,
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will provide 10 million tilapia fingerlings and another 10 million bangus fingerlings to affected fisherfolks, especially those in Masantol and Macabebe.
About 500 fishing nets will also be given to the affected sector, including one motorized banca each for Masantol and Macabebe towns.
Reports from the provincial and municipal disaster-risk reduction and management councils show that damages to agriculture in various municipalities of Pampanga reached P1.33 billion.
The towns of San Luis and Candaba will each receive P4-million funding assistance for the repair of damaged irrigation facilities as the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will provide a total of P18.2 million for damaged facilities in the province. The NIA said it has earmarked P168 million for this year and P220 million for next year for the entire province.
Alcala also announced that his department will initiate the planting of 300,000 mangrove propagules along Pampanga Bay to further protect nearby municipalities from flooding. He also expressed his agreement with Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo’s proposal to put up a trading center of agricultural produce in the province as this would minimize the problem of farmers with middle men.
