Balamban farmers get P2-million assistance

CEBU, Philippines - The municipality of Balamban received at least P2 million from the Dangerous Drugs Board as financial assistance to the local farmers for them to shift from cultivating the prohibited marijuana.

The assistance is part of the Alternative Development Program of DDB in which financial aid ranging from P1 million to P2 million will be given to provinces that are suffering from problems on marijuana cultivation.

DDB Vice Chairman Clarence Paul Oaminal explained that Balamban is the first in the region to be given the funds, saying they wanted to eliminate the planting of marijuana in Balamban.

Oaminal said that after they are raided, some farmers and operators would go back to their operations since they do not have other means of income.

“Basig unsaon nimo pagdakop, mobalik ra gihapon kay wala man silay lain makit-an na choice,” he added.

But he stated that through the financial aid program of the DDB, farmers would not have any reason to stick with the planting of marijuana.

According to Oaminal, prior to the releasing of the budget, a study was made by the municipality on what kind of seeds they would be planting that should be compatible with their soil they are using.

Oaminal said that one of the provinces that received the budget was Benguet, which chose to shift to silk work industry. But as for Balamban, he said that they will be planting abaca seeds.

Aside from Balamban, Oaminal is recommending the giving of financial assistance to two southern towns - Badjian and Dalaguete - which reportedly have rampant marijuana operations.

The P2 million fund, which was received by Balamban Mayor Alex Binghay, will go through the town’s cooperative for the purchase of abaca products for the farmers.

Meanwhile, Oaminal said that based on the 2008 National Household Survey made by the Philippine Normal University and the DDB, Central Visayas is one of the regions that has the highest number of drug users.

The survey was done in 16 regions, 30 provinces and 190 barangays with 12,730 respondents, which resulted to 1.7 million estimated drug users. — AJ de la Torre/LPM   (THE FREEMAN)