El Niño phenomenon city earmarks P5.2M for farmer equipment

CEBU, Philippines - Anticipating the threat of the El Niño phenomenon, the City government is setting aside at least P5.2 million for the procurement of agricultural equipment and veterinary medicines to assist farmers.

Once the Committee on Budget and  Finance approves the amount, this will be divided and distributed to 31 identified mountain barangays in the city, which may suffer the adverse effects of the dreaded El Niño phenomenon.

“Damage to vegetation, crops, and livestocks are expected to be affected brought about by this climate change and this would mean economic loss to our farmers,” said Councilor David Tumulak, one of those who proposed the resolution.

The City Agriculture Department and the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries  and Abattoir Operations Division recommended the purchase of the equipments and medicine, with the hope to address and somehow mitigate the ill of El Niño.

DVMF and AOD requested from Tumulak various veterinary medicines and equipment for its daily mountain barangay livestock surveillance and management, which will approximately cost P500,000.

Among others, these will include vials of injectables, bottles of dewormers, sets of drenching guns, and multivitamins, said City Veterinarian Pilar Romero.

CAD, similarly, requested a budget of P4,786,400 for the 31 mountain barangays for the irrigation system support, low-cost facilities that could minimize the heat’s impact, and variety of seeds that can withstand high temperature.

The total amount of the items is P5,286,400, which Tumulak requested to be charged against the City’s  Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.  funds.

Tumulak and fellow proponents, Councilors Alvin Arcilla and Lea Japson, said the guidelines for the use of Pagcor funds allow the same “to be used for self sustainable economic livelihood projects preferably on the grassroots level, which will provide employment to and generate income for the less-fortunate segments of the community.”

Earlier, the city government also granted cash assistance to the farmers in the mountain barangays whose livelihood were adversely affected by the unusual Cold weather phenomenon in January.  (FREEMAN)