DA secretary turns over P85.9M worth of agri-fishery projects to Cebu, Bohol

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY –Department of Agriculture secretary William Dar has turned over P85.9 Million worth of agricultural-fishery projects for Cebu and Bohol as he graced the awarding ceremony of the winners of the Sugbuanong Busog, Luwas ug Himsog (SUGBUSOG) Program at the Cebu Capitol, Thursday, June 3 as its guest of honor.

During the awarding ceremony at Capitol, Secretary Dar turned over some P43,363,483 worth of agri-fishery projects and P18,706,000 of project commitments from the DA's banner programs to the LGUs and farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in Cebu.

Among the projects for turnover to LGUs included the monolithic dome for Dalaguete, Cebu worth P20,000,000; establishment of the Regional Food Terminal for Cebu City amounting to P14,000,000 and 1-unit 4WD 90HP tractor worth P 3,000,000.

The Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative (LMPC) of Pinamungajan, Cebu received a hauling truck and a 4WD 90HP tractor amounting to P4,000,000.

Dar also gave vegetable seeds, drip irrigation system, postharvest machinery equipment, packaging materials and agricultural supplies, cassava chipper and mechanical corn sheller with de-husker worth P2,469,386.

For its commitment projects, Dar also gave 2 units reefer van worth P8,850,000 for the LGU-Cebu City and Cebu Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CEMVEDCO) and various interventions under rice and organic program amounting to P9,436,000.

For Bohol Province, Dar met with Governor Arthur Yap and other top officials of the province to also turn over some infra projects amounting to P21,050,982 which comprise a small water impounding project in Carmen, farm-to-market in Alicia and the diversion dam in Mabini.

Dar gave two units of cattle feedlot fattening with a total project cost of P10,000,000 or P5,000,000 each for the LGUs of Buenavista and Sierra Bullones and a 4WD 90HP tractor amounting to P2,400,000 for LGU-Catigbian.

Other projects also for turnover included shredders and multi-cultivator with agricultural supplies, grass cutters, corn chippers and corn shellers with de-huskers with a total amount of P 1,776,584 for the various FCAs and LGUs in Central Visayas.

Project commitments worth P9,619,700 were also awarded to the identified project recipients under Rice and Marketing assistance programs such as rice trans-planters, palay shed, combine rice harvester, hand tractor, financial grants to FCS/LGUs and hauling truck, respectively.

Prior to the awarding program, secretary Dar with Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia and some top officials visited some SUGBUsog urban garden winners in Mandaue City, as it covets the greatest number of winning gardens, despite being a highly urbanized city of Cebu.

The Sugbuanong Busog, Luwas ug Himsog (SUGBUSOG) Program is a vegetable gardening project of the Province of Cebu that encourages households, communities and the Local Government Units (LGUs) to engage themselves into home, community gardening and nurseries establishment, respectively.

Dar visited the urban garden of Jesus Cortes in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City and was impressed with Cotes’ innovativeness and creativity in the layout of his small container backyard garden.

Cortes, 43 years old is the winner of the urban gardening contest under the SUGBUsog program of Cebu Province.  He was encouraged to engage in container gardening last year as he lost his livelihood as a tricycle driver due to the pandemic.

"Nawagtangan mi og trabaho tungod sa pandemic, ug maayo kaayo nga ang Probinsya sa Sugbo nihimo og contest nga Sugbuanong Busog, Luwas ug Himsog (SUGBUsog) urban gardening," Cortes said. (We lost our livelihood due to pandemic and we are grateful that the Province of Cebu implemented a contest, the Sugbuanong Busog, Luwas ug Himsog (SUGBUsog)

Dar said that Cortes deserves the recognition as he transforms a small area to a vegetable garden. His garden will serve as model and inspiration to others to also engage in urban gardening.