GenSan farmers, fishers receive P21-M aid from LGU, DA
AGRICULTURE • 07:15 AM Tue May 12, 2020
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LMSalvo/RAFIS 12
The Department of Agriculture in Region 12 (DA 12) has teamed up with the city local government of General Santos in delivering agriculture and fishery assistance to thousands of farmers and fisherfolk.
On Thursday (May 7), DA 12 and GenSan City LGU distributed more than PhP21-million worth of agri-fishery aid intended to assist farmers and fishers continue their farming and fishing activities amid the imposition of general community quarantine in the city.
Of the said amount, GenSan City LGU shouldered PhP16.5-M while the DA 12 earmarked PhP 4.6-M for the procurement of production inputs like seeds and fertilizers as well as fishing gears and other fishing implements.
DA 12 Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen and GenSan City Mayor Ronnel Rivera spearheaded the awarding ceremony.
“The DA is closely working together with local government units in extending necessary support to our farmers and fisherfolk especially during this global pandemic when there is a threat in our food production,” Director Mangelen said.
The director has thanked GenSan City LGU headed by Mayor Rivera for including agriculture and fishery on top of his priorities by giving away various agri-fishery assistance to farmers and fisherfolk.
"During this time, we really need cooperation to ensure that there is enough, accessible and affordable food for all of us,” he emphasized.
Using its allocations, GenSan City LGU distributed 37.5 bags of registered seeds, 60 bags of hybrid seeds, 688 bags of corn seeds, mango flower inducers, vegetable seeds, fish feeds and fingerlings. The procurement of 600 bags of certified palay seeds is still underway.
The DA 12 under its Rice Resiliency Project, on the other hand, awarded 200 bags of inbred palay seeds and 200 bags of fertilizers for inbred rice production and 150 bags of hybrid palay seeds with fertilizers intended to further boost hybrid rice production.
Aside from rice growers, the agency also provided corn farmers with 150 bags of hybrid yellow corn, glutinous corn and hybrid white corn seeds.
More than 1,500 farmers and fisherfolk were able to avail of the different assistance from the GenSan City LGU and from the DA 12.
GenSan City Agriculturist Merlinda Donasco also shared that all beneficiaries of the various assistance will be enrolled in the crop insurance program of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.
“Our farmers and fishers can also avail of loan assistance of PhP25,000 from the DA through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council,” she added.
Maria Josefa Empal, a corn farmer-recipient from Barangay Sinawal, expressed her gratitude to the government for addressing their farming and fishing needs. "Lubos po kaming nagpapasalamat sa lokal na pamahalaan at sa gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng DA kasi hindi po nila kami kinalimutan sa panahon ng krisis," she said. (LMSalvo/RAFIS 12)