By Connie Calipay
Legażpi City – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to forward the verified roster of more than 9,000 farmers impacted by the drought in Bicol to various government social services for additional support.
In a recent interview, Lovella Guarin, spokesperson for DA-Bicol, stated that they would present the roster to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to facilitate assistance planning and implementation.
“Our aim is to provide aid that will address the financial needs of our affected farmers. We are collaborating with these agencies to ensure that our farmers receive support through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program and are enrolled in DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program,” Guarin affirmed.
She said DA-Bicol also allocated seeds such as certified and hybrid rice seeds, hybrid yellow corn and lowland vegetable seeds, from buffer stocks to affected towns.
“All available resources amount to about PHP22 million,” she said.
She said they continuously monitor the 201 confirmed operational small-scale irrigation projects in the region.
Based on the DA-Bicol report, there are 9,283 farmers affected by drought from five towns in Albay; two in Camarines Sur; seven in Masbate, and one in Sorsogon.
A total of 8,222 hectares have been affected resulting in the production volume loss of 13,507 metric tons with a direct economic impact of PHP352.97 million.
In January, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 53 to streamline, reactivate, and reconstitute the old El Niño task forces under EO No. 16 (s. 2001) and Memorandum Order No. 38 (s. 2019).
Under EO No. 53, the President instructed the task force to secure a comprehensive disaster preparedness and rehabilitation plan and ensure “systematic, holistic, and results-driven interventions” to aid the Filipinos and alleviate the devastating effects of disasters. (PNA)
