BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Highland vegetable farmers and traders of Benguet are joining hands with the municipal and regional police to send tons of vegetables to Cebu City, which was hit hard by Typhoon Odette.
According to Agot Balanoy of the League of Associations in the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post, the vegetables will reach Cebu City on Tuesday, December 21.
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She said she hopes the vegetables will help ease the burden of those affected by the typhoon. She said the gesture is meant to help typhoon survivors feel the spirit of Christmas in the face of calamity.
According to initial National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reports, the typhoon damages 5,391.77 hectares of agriculture and caused power outages and interruptions in 227 cities and municipalities.
The vegetables are in response to a call for donations made by farmers and traders. Aside from two tons of vegetables donated by stakeholders, the La Trinidad police and the Cordillera regional police added two more tons to the shipment. The vegetables are valued at around P80,000.
La Trinidad farmers and traders will try to send another shipment of donated vegetables early next year, Balanoy said.
In 2020, Benguet farmers and traders also donated vegetables to communities affected by COVID-19 lockdowns and by the eruption of Taal Volcano.