Where government support counts

We were tending to our small garden in a mountain barangay, days ago, when someone approached us to sell his farm animal. After overcoming his initial hesitation, he took great efforts to explain his good reasons why he had to part away with his carabao. In his words, it served him very well but he had to let it go. I did not commit to buy because mine was too small a garden to need any farm animal.

In my next visit, the gentleman came back. This time, he brought along his prized (his word of assurance) beast of burden. But, believe me, it was far from being prized as it did not look like any beast. It might not be sickly, but it was too just emaciated. Its bones seemed to protrude simply because there appeared less muscles and meat under the skin. I, in my naivette in the ways of the farm, could not imagine how such a skinny animal could be used for any farm-related activity.

It was because the carabao appeared malnourished that I decided to buy it. There should be ways to make it grow more muscular. Perhaps a better and more attentive concern for it coupled with some professional help could do the trick.

Indeed, I immediately wrote SOS to the office of the City Veterinarian. Dr. Alice Utlang, deserved my great respect and admiration, when she respondent to my plea for help. She scheduled a visit of her personnel to see a man at the given place where I left the carabao. Oh my gosh, I must apologize to such worker for I even failed to jot down the name. So, when the vet's visit came, the beast of burden got its first professional care.

I write about this experience because of two things. First, I feel that the city government needs to add to one of its line agencies an aggressive program to help farmers maintain in good physical condition their work animals. After the visit of the veterinarian, owners of farm animals in the area inquired how to get such service. What they did not ask was why should I get some kind of preferential treatment. To assuage their feelings, I told them the government continued to be ready to help if its assistance is sought for.

So, I wrote again Dr. Utlang to thank her for her initial help and to explore ways to bring her personnel back to where they were more needed. The lady doctor quickly sent Dr. Laurente and Dr. Zamora to the area I described in my letter. This time, I made sure to write their names! Thank you very much doctors for attending to about five other carabaos. This expression of thanks came from the farmers who benefited from your assistance.

If it should be the city veterinarian or any other office to do it, let the city government employ more professional manpower to scour the mountains and search for these beasts of burden and care for them.

It is without doubt that healthy animals give sour farmer more efficient help. I am sure the people, especially in our mountain barangays would be very happy for government to spend more money to help their cause.

Second. Around the small garden I am cultivating, there are vast tracts of undeveloped land. Idle. In my inquiries, owners are not encouraged to work on them not because there are no accessible roads and failure of government to provide needed assistance.

Without roads, to bring implements and inputs to the farms is a most daunting obstacle less willed men can not overcome. The high cost of cultivation can be reduced with accessible road networks. Even when the more persistent farmers succeed to carry their loads to the farms, the back breaking effort of bringing their products down to the markets is task enough to think twice about.

Aug 16