DA-7 gives over P16.7M worth of agri inputs, infra to Camotes Island

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) has turned over agricultural inputs and infrastructure projects worth more than P 16,772,950 to the farmers of the four towns in Camotes Island, Cebu on May 3-4, 2021 in support to the SUGBUsog program of the Cebu Provincial Government to enhance production at the countryside.

DA-7 Regional Executive Director Atty. Salvador Diputado and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia led the Farm to Market Road (FMR) inauguration in Poro and the project turnover in the municipalities of San Francisco, Tudela, Poro, and Pilar.

“This distribution of goods in the community pantry and the turnover of projects and inputs are DA7’s response to the call of Agriculture Secretary William Dar to share food to the needy through the community pantries and to enhance food production in the rural areas,” Diputado said.

According to Diputado that projects turned over included farm to market roads, machineries, livestock, other agricultural inputs such as vegetable seeds and other planting materials, garden tools, fertilizers, among others.

Top of the list in the project turnover was the 450-meters Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in Barangay Eastern Poblacion to Barangay Altavista Poro town that is worth P13 million; farm machineries included the mechanical corn sheller with de-husker costing P350,000 that was given to the Mercedes Farmers Association in Poro, Cebu and a Drip Irrigation System amounting to P200,000 to the LGU-Pilar, Cebu.

The rest were agricultural inputs such as assorted vegetable seeds, garden tools, corn seeds, planting materials and fertilizers in support of the Gulayan sa Barangay under the banner of the SUGBUsog program.

The livestock program also handed-in an egg incubator with hatchery worth P500,000 to the LGU-Poro for distribution to its farmers.  Aside from the agricultural inputs and projects, DA7 also distributed a total of 600 packs of fresh assorted vegetable as DA's contribution to the community pantry of the four municipalities of the island.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) represented by Patricia Megalbio also joined the event and distributed around P20 million to almost 8,000 beneficiaries of the agency's social amelioration assistance in the island

Diputado said that the ONE DA family in Central Visayas such as Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA), and Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., among others also joined the caravan with BFAR7 gave a total of P641,579 worth of fishing boats and gears.

“Secretary William Dar commits to fully support Governor Garcia’s food production initiatives in Cebu province as the country battles the pandemic,” Diputado said. (Photos: DA-7/Cebu Province)