More than two thousand local farmers and fisherfolk as well as farmers organizations received a total of P49 million in agricultural interventions from the Department of Agriculture (DA) last Thursday (Sept. 12, 2024) courtesy of the office of Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.
The event was originally set last week but was postponed as TGP Rep. Jose “Bong” Teves, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla and DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. attended the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair in Davao.
In the DA chief’s absence, the interventions were distributed by DA Bicol personnel led by Regional Executive Director Rodel Tornilla in the presence of Sen. Revilla, Cong. Teves Jr., Governor Joseph Cua, Vice Governor Peter Cua, Virac Mayor Samuel Laynes and other municipal mayors, Vice Mayor Arlynn Arcilla and members of the Sangguniang Bayan.
The payout of Assistance to Individual in Crisis Situation (AICS) to selected beneficiaries and awarding of agricultural interventions were held at the covered court of San Andres and at Plaza Rizal in Virac.
Under the Rice Program, P15 million in interventions were received by each of the 11 municipal governments, consisting of 1,500 bags of hybrid palay seeds for dry season cropping 2024-2025, 1,500 Fertilizer Discount Vouchers worth P3,400 each, soil ameliorants for 1,024 hectares, biofertilizers for 1,004 hectares, 55 knapsack sprayers, and 264 liters of foliar fertilizers.
For the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), DA provided a total of P1.18 million in assistance, as follows: 25 Gulayan sa Paaralan packages for 25 schools; 2,500 grafted pili seedlings and 50 bags of organic fertilizers for Agrarian Livelihood Services Technology Organization in Viga, Maligaya Village Rural Improvement Club in San Miguel, and Genitligan Upland Farmers Association in Baras; and 12 packages of garden tools, wheel barrows, plastic drums and assorted vegetable seeds for the 11 MLGUs and the provincial government.
The towns of Bato, Viga, Panganiban and San Miguel received 39 one-year-old female carabaos (caraheifers) for distribution to local livestock raisers.
The office of Cong. Eulogio Rodriguez got 200 heads of piglets while the provincial government received a compact feed mill under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) program.
The total allocation to Catanduanes under the National Livestock Program (NLP) came up to just over P13 million.
One brush cutter each went to Pagsangahan Organic Farmers Association and Paraiso Community-Based and Livelihood Farmers Association, both in San Miguel; Tindog Tilis Farmers Association in Baras; and Sibol Farmers Association in Bato.
Also included under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) allocation of P860,000.00 were two units of Multicultivator with Mulcher worth P380,000 each.
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRICE) Bicol released 5,671 bags of certified inbred seeds valued at P4.74 million to the 11 towns for distribution to their farmers.
On the other hand, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) is also distributing 979 units of 3-in-1 Modified Abaca Stripping Knife (MASK) to abaca farmers all over the island along with nine (9) units of portable modified spindle stripping machines to abaca farmers associations.
The interventions granted to abaca farmers and nine associations totaled over P12 million.
Local fisherfolk were not left behind, as they received a total of P1 million: 120,000 pieces of freshwater tilapia fingerlings for distribution in Bato, Caramoran, Gigmoto, San Miguel and Viga; 50,000 pieces of brackish water tilapia fingerlings for Panganiban; 120,000 pieces of bangus fingerlings for Bagamanoc, Baras, Bato, Caramoran, Panganiban and Pandan; and 10 units of 22-footer Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) boat with accessories and 7.5-HP marine engine to selected individuals.
The fingerlings and motorized boats from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office cost a total of P1.04 million.
RED Tornilla said the agricultural interventions for Catanduanes delivered by DA and its attached agencies through the office of Sec. Francisco Laurel Tiu Jr. are intended not only to ensure food security but also to increase production and introduce a new level of technology to farmers, citing the use of agricultural drones to perform fertilizer and pesticide spraying in the field that requires the equivalent of 10 farmers.
He added that with the support of the provincial government, municipal local government units and TGP Rep. Jose Teves Jr., the island and the nation as a whole can achieve food security, maintain a bountiful agriculture and enhance the economy.