DA starts Calabarzon rehabilitation program

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture has released P3.94 million worth of initial aid to rice, corn and vegetable farmers in Laguna whose farms were destroyed by typhoon Ondoy.

In a report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap, Assistant Secretary Dennis B. Araullo, who is also the concurrent officer in charge of Regional Field Unit 4A, said the initial aid consists of 2,710 bags of certified palay seeds (P1,200 per bag), 90 bags of high yielding open pollinated variety (OPV) of white corn (P1,200 per bag), and 70 kilos of assorted pinakbet vegetable seeds (P200,000).

The seeds were distributed to more than 3,000 farming families in the municipalities of Siniloan, Santa Maria, Mabitac and Pami in Laguna.

Each municipality also received one unit hand tractor (worth P80,000), as many local farmers lost their carabaos and will be needing some help to plough their fields.  

According to Araullo, “through these seeds, farming equipment and other production inputs, we give them the chance to recover from their losses and start anew, considering that Laguna is one of the most badly hit provinces by Ondoy.”

Typhoon Ondoy ravaged 11,200 hectares of agriculture land. Rice fields were worst hit as the region lost 81,150 metric tons of palay (valued at P111 million).

Likewise, 1,500 hectares of high value commercial crops – mostly planted vegetables – were damaged.

Araullo said that Siniloan-Santa Maria-Mabitac and Pami are the first leg of the DA’s Agriculture Rehabilitation Program for CALABARZON (which stands for Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon).

Aid and relief, Araullo said, would also be distributed in Pililia, Sta. Cruz, Pagsanjan and Lumbao in the next few days.

After Laguna, the DA will provide assistance in Rizal, particularly to the towns of Morong, Angono, Taytay, San Mateo and other severely damaged areas.

In Sta. Maria, P1.93 million worth of farm aid were distributed. These included 1,400 bags of certified palay seeds, 50 bags of OPV corn seeds, 40 kilos of assorted vegetables seeds; and a unit of hand tractor. 

The DA regional office also lent the local government a unit of 4x4 wheel tractor to remove the mounds of mud covering some farms.

In Siniloan, P792,000 worth of rehabilitation materials were distributed. These included 560 bags of certified palay seeds; 10 bags of OPV seeds of white corn; 10 kilos of assorted vegetable seeds; and a unit of hand tractor.

In Mabitac, 600 bags of certified palay seeds, 10 bags of OPV white corn seeds, 10 kilos of assorted vegetable seeds were handed over. Total value of the assistance package reached P840,970. 

In Pami, 150 bags of certified palay seeds, 20 bags of OPV white corn seeds, 10 kilos of assorted vegetable seeds, and a unit of hand tractor, all worth P372,000, were distributed.