A brand new hope reigns among the El Niño-affected farmers and fisherfolk of Negros Occidental with the different assistance poured into them by the government.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. recently took the lead in distributing relief efforts and turnover of machinery for farmers, fisherfolk and families through the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and their Families (PAFFF) program.
Primarily, the PAFFF aims to provide financial aid to individuals facing economic hardships brought by the El Niño phenomenon, with a special focus on the agriculture and fishing sectors.
Overjoyed. Cadiz City native Rey Dacaldacal was thrilled by the support given by the government especially for coffee growers like him.
He is the president of the thriving Barangay Celestino Villacin Vegetable Farmers Association.
Through the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), the association was able to acquire a building, goods and equipment, and a hauling truck.
This project named Cadiz City Coffee Processing and Marketing Enterprise has a hefty sum of P11, 716,375.03.
“Dako gid ang amon pagpasalamat kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos nga padayon ang iya kaayo sa pagbulig sa ini nga programa sa amon didto sa Cadiz City tungod sa coffee production kag padayon nga pagpasanyog sa amon nga mga mangongoma,” Dacaldacal shared.
(We are so grateful to President Bongbong Marcos for his goodness, for the help through this program given to us in Cadiz City because of the coffee production which also promotes us farmers.)
He narrated that coffee has been the family’s bread and butter since 2000 along with rice and vegetable plantation. To note, the coffee plantation now occupies 200-300 land hectares.
The government’s persistence likewise became a big influence why they continue to pursue coffee.
“Nakapa-eskwela kami sang amon kabataan kag dako gid nga dugang nga income sa amon kinahanglanon kag pagpangoma.”
(We are able to send our children to school and we gained additional income for our needs and farming.)
Dacaldacal was also beyond thankful to other government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the local government unit for their united efforts in helping the association. These agencies, the LGU, along with the dedication of its association members added value to the endeavors’ growth and success.
Meanwhile, fifty-five year old Nenita Flores recalled her excitement to receive P10,000 cash aid under the PAFFF program.
“Nagapasalamat ako kay (Presidente) Bongbong Marcos kay sa pila ka tuig, amo palang ko sini nakabaton sang assistance,” she remarked.
(I am grateful to (President) Bongbong Marcos because for how many years since I’ve become a farmer, this is my first time to receive assistance.)
Having been a rice farmer for 30 years, the assistance meant an augmentation for the family’s livelihood.
For Bago City-based farmer Rizaldy Javier, the mechanical rice transplanter equates to a time-saving machine compared to traditional farming.
The machine, which was given through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization component program of Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), reduces workload and health risks, while ensuring uniform spacing and plant density.
“Maka-save amon mangunguma sa expenses sa seeds kag sa bayad sa pagpatanom. Madasig ini nga pag-obra sang machine kay kun sa manual kami, malab-utan kami two days or three days, pero sa ini ga equipment, sa one day matapos na namon ang one hectare,” Javier shared.
(Our farmers can save with the expenses on seeds and payment for rice planting. The machine works fast because when we do manual farming, it will take two or three days to finish. With this equipment, it takes one day to finish one hectare).
Javier also serves as the president of Paselomak Irrigator’s Association with 317 members.
He further noted that the DSWD gave out food packs to farmers who heavily suffered from El Niño along with the financial assistance amounting to P3,000.
“Kadako gid sang epekto sang El Nino kay may ara kami affected farmers, especially sa akon. Akon one hectare napatubsan ko lang sang 32 sacks.”
(The El Niño has a huge effect on us farmers, especially to me. My one hectare farmland only harvested some 32 sacks.)
Kabankalan City Mayor Benjie Miranda, for his part, conveyed his gratitude to the president for the agricultural assistance, particularly the fishing boats, which are a big help among the fisher folk of Kabankalan.
Time and again, the hostile impacts of the El Niño phenomenon have taken a toll on the farmers’ agricultural products, more so, in their profits. For farmers, those were nightmares that haunt them. Those were heartbreaking moments. And throughout those unpleasant, daunting experiences, the government’s collaborative efforts, little by little, helped them rebuild what was lost. It’s a ray of sunshine, a hope against all odds. (ED/AAL/LMLE/PIA Iloilo)
