Tobacco exporter helps rehabilitate irrigation systems

MANILA, Philippines - A tobacco exporting firm has come to the succor of tobacco farmers in La Union and Pangasinan by donating cement for the rehabilitation of an irrigation system that was heavily damaged by typhoon Pepeng.

The Universal Leaf Philippines Inc. (ULPI) through its president Winston Uy recently turned over 300 bags of cement to Rosario, La Union Mayor Bellermin Flores. The cement will be used to reconstruct eroded intake canal sections of an irrigation system serving a wide expanse of tobacco farming areas in neighboring Rosario and Sison (Pangasinan) towns.

It was learned that 800 tobacco farmers belonging to several irrigation associations are relying on the water coming out of the damaged irrigation system for the sustenance of their crop.

ULPI’s donation is part of an overall effort of the various sectors of the tobacco industry including the National Tobacco Administration which had separately conducted relief operation drives in the provinces and Metro Manila for victims of devastation inflicted by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Uy said that with the irrigation system rehabilitated, the leaf farmers are guaranteed of having enough water supply for their crop in the forthcoming tobacco planting season.

ULPI is one of the country’s leading exporters of leaf tobacco and supplier of a big cigarette manufacturing company. — Teddy Molina