DA in the Ilocos, farmers' orgs augment relief goods in Cagayan

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Nov. 30 (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 1 (DA-RFO1) augmented relief goods in Cagayan Valley, one of the regions greatly affected by Typhoon Ulysses just recently.

According to DA-RFO1, the agency donated various food and non-food items worth Php200,000.00 which include canned goods, instant noodles, hand soap, and dishwashing liquid.

Moreover, the donation also included vitamins, face shields and face masks to support the drive of the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Our agency also provided 192 bags or 25 kilos of rice and clothing which was turned over to Provincial Government of Cagayan,” said DA-RFO1 Regional Director Nestor Domenden.

Further, Domenden said that partner-farmers' associations such as the San Pablo Cooperative in Balaoan, La Union; the Bacarra Zanjera Irrigators Association in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte; and the LM Arenas Coop of Manaoag, Pangasinan also donated and helped in the provision of the relief goods.

“It is appropriate to help our kababayans in Cagayan especially that we have this current pandemic, because not only during a health crisis but also in disaster occurrence is what the bayanihan spirit is all about,” Domenden added. 

Provincial Government Relief Operations Officer Joanna Bassig received the delivered items on November 20.

In a national scope, DA has initially disbursed and distributed Php8.5-billion worth of various interventions to enable farmers and fisherfolk to recover from the damages left by a series of typhoons that hit Luzon in October and November.

Of the total Php8.5-B assistance, the bulk was extended to farmers and fishers in Cagayan Valley and Bicol, the two hardest-hit regions, receiving Php2.34-B and Php1.07-B, respectively, in the form of various agri-fishery assistance and interventions.

“On behalf of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, we will continue to provide our typhoon and flood-affected farmers and fisherfolks in Luzon and other areas with immediate and much-needed assistance to tide them over and start anew,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

“The DA family sincerely commiserates with thousands of our countrymen who were displaced and whose livelihood were adversely affected. Our assistance and interventions may not be enough, but we will extend all the possible help to handhold them until they are back on their feet, and farm and fish again so they can ably provide adequate food and incomes for their families,” added Secretary Dar. (JCR/AMB/AHFF/PIA-1)     

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