By the end of this week, 1,639 abaca farmers whose livelihood was wiped out by super typhoon Rolly in 2020 will have received P3,000 each as Cash-for-Work incentive under a disaster recovery project of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF).
This Dec. 15-17, 2021, 1,139 recipients from 30 barangays in San Andres town will get their incentives from PDRF as part of the Economic and Livelihood Recovery – Abaca Rehabilitation Project being implemented by the non-government organization in partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Catanduanes thru the Provincial Agricultural Services Office (PASO), the Philippine Fiber Industry Authority (PhilFIDA), and the Municipal Local Government Units of Virac and San Andres.
The recipient abaca farmers in San Andres are from barangays Lubas, Cabungahan, Manambrag, Hilawan, Barihay, Tibang, Puting Baybay, Mayngaway, Asgad, Codon, Alibuag, Bislig, Wagdas, Cabcab, Catagbacan, Bagong Sirang, Comagaycay, Datag, San Isidro, San Vicente, Batong Paloway, Divino Rostro, Caragnag, Timbaan, Lictin, Palawig, Yocti, Rizal, San Jose, and Tominawog.
Last Dec. 2-4, 500 abaca farmers from the Virac barangays of Buyo, Hicming, JMA Poniton, Tubaon, Calatagan Tibang, Danicop, Sogod Tibgao, Sto. Nińo, Capilihan, Ibong Sapa, San Vicente, Dugui Too, Dugui San Vicente, and Dugui San Isidro received the cash assistance at the lobby of the Provincial Capitol.
Provincial Agriculturist Nelia B. Teves recognized the efforts and the collaboration of all the agencies and offices to make the project a success and honored the resilience of the hard-working abaca farmers despite the damages caused by the typhoons to their abaca farms.
Governor Joseph C. Cua and Virac Mayor Sinforoso M. Sarmiento, Jr., expressed their gratitude to PDRF and the Hilton Foundation for the overflowing support to abaca farmers in Catanduanes.
Highlighting the teamwork of several personnel from different offices, PDRF Development Programs and Innovation Manager Anna Katrina Aspuria said that the project has more forceful impact because of the linkages and partnerships and the full support of LGUs and all collaborating agencies starting from the planning phase up unto the pay-out stage.
The PDRF recovery project envisions assisting the abacaleros to have a good production despite uncertainties and disturbances such as the frequent typhoons that often result to agricultural damages.
Aside from the cash incentive, the recipient abaca farmers also participated in several capability building trainings and community resilience activities included in the project, which started in July and ends this December 2021.