MANILA — Nearly PhP200 million in financial assistance to Region 2 farmers, fisherfolk and their families was distributed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday in Ilagan City, Isabela as part of the government’s efforts to alleviate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon on affected individuals.
President Marcos handed over PhP10 million to Batanes Gov. Marilou Cayco along with the PhP50 million each to Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba; Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Jose Gambito; and Isabela Gov. Rodolfo Albano III; and PhP30.92 million to Quirino Gov. Dakila Cua.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has also distributed 315 units of pump and engine set and 1,000 bags of hybrid/inbred palay and corn seeds and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) distributed 19 sets of non-motorized boats and 18 units of fishing gear/gillnet.
Financial assistance worth PhP5.98 million for 311 Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) beneficiaries was distributed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The Technical Education And Skills Development Authority (TESDA) also provided 25 toolkits for Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) beneficiaries.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has also provided PhP10,000 in financial aid to 5,000 target beneficiaries in Isabela through the “DSWD-Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program, which aims to protect minimum wage earners from the effects of inflation.
Each attendee also received five kilos of rice from Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Sa araw naman na ito, maghahandog kami ng karagdagang tulong sa ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at sa kanilang mga pamilya na kasama natin dito ngayon,” President Marcos told thousands of farmers and fisherfolk in Isabela.
“Nilalayon naming maibsan ang hirap na inyong nararanasan dahil sa El Niño nang sa gayon ay makabangon [kayong] muli at maibalik ang kasaganahan ng inyong kabuhayan,” the chief executive added.
The President said the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization has also provided agricultural equipment such as tractors, disc plows, levee makers, transplanters, reapers, harvesters, threshers, dryers, and rice mills.
President Marcos also recognized the unwavering contributions of the farmers and fisherfolk to the country’s abundant and vibrant agriculture sector.
“Makakaasa kayo na patuloy na magtutulungan ang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan at lalong-lalo na ang local government [units] dahil po lahat po ito hindi po namin magagawa kung hindi maganda ang ugnayan sa gitna ng national government at saka sa local government units,” President Marcos said.
“Patuloy ang aming paghahatid ng nag-uumapaw na suporta [at] tulong upang madoble ang inyong ani at bumaba ang presyo ng mga bilihin. Isa na sa [mga] inisyatibong ito ay ang Philippine Rural Development Project at National Rice Program,” he added.
Before concluding his speech, President Marcos assured the residents of Cagayan Valley that the government will continue extending assistance to them to uplift their lives especially the farmers and the fisherfolk. (PND)
){kind=link}