DA allots P592M aid to farmers in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY --- Department of Agriculture (DA) Sec. William Dar disclosed that P592.4 million will be downloaded to the Bicol region to aid more than 32,000 farmers whose crops were damaged by super Typhoon “Rolly.”

The amount will be provided through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) as an indemnification fund. PCIC-insured farmers and fishers in the region will receive insurance claims ranging from P10,000 to P15,000 for their damaged crops, farm equipment, and fishing boat and gears.

Dar led the turn-over of P90 million worth of assistance to the farmers and fishers in Polangui, Albay, which included hybrid rice seeds, corn seeds, assorted vegetable seeds, urea fertilizer, farm implements, and fishing gears and equipment.

Romulo Arbo, a farmer in Barangay Balangibang, Polangui, Albay, said he and his fellow

farmers did not earn from their rice farm since it was totally damaged by the typhoon. “That’s why we really need them [government agencies providing emergency services]. I hope they can immediately provide us with the assistance that would help us recover from our loss. That support from DA would really help us,” he said in vernacular.

Dar assured that farmers who lost their livelihood to the typhoon will be given assistance through the collaboration with DA regional offices and the local government units.

He added that DA will continue to strengthen farm mechanization to reduce the cost of production of farmers and to expedite the rehabilitation of the agricultural areas in the region.

DA regional director Rodel Tornilla vowed immediate distribution of farm inputs to facilitate the recovery of the affected agricultural areas. The DA’s Agri-business and Marketing Assistance Division has been directed to closely monitor any unwarranted increase in the prices of agricultural commodities, he added. (PIA5/CEB/DA-RAFIS 5/EBB)