TUGUEGARAO CITY — The provincial government of Cagayan has received a total of PHP250 million worth of agricultural assistance from the national government to help Cagayano farmers recover from the losses caused by super typhoon Lawin.
This was confirmed by provincial agriculturist Perlita Mabazza after the Department of Agriculture(DA) has delivered President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise of package of assistance to almost 50,000 Cagayano farmers whose sources of livelihood have been affected by the violent storm.
Mabazza said that the PHP 20 million initial assistance which consist of 1,400 cavans of rice have been distributed, with 10 kilos for each family.
Aside from the immediate food relief, another PHP32 million worth of certified palay, corn and vegetable seeds are now being distributed to farmers by the 29 municipal and city governments of Cagayan, after a formal turnover by DA to the provincial government Tuesday, which later facilitated the distribution to the different LGUs in the province.
Meanwhile, the DA Regional Field Unit 02, through Regional Technical Director Orly Lorenzana has assured that they are now finalizing the purchase of additional 50,000 bags of hybrid seeds worth PHP213 million for additional assistance to Cagayano farmers.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), on the other hand, has also distributed to all typhoon-affected fishermen in Cagayan some fish aggregating devices, non-motorized fishing boats, gillnets, fish trap, squid jigger, crab pot, multiple hand lines, life vests, among others. PNA-northboundasia.com