“President Aquino wishes to know which projects of the Department of Agriculture are effective and that the stakeholders would like to continue,” said Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala during a forum held in Oroquieta City on February 15, 2016.
Mr Alcala added that the feedback coming from the farmers and fishermen is very important so the present leadership can properly turnover the evaluation to the next administration.
According to DA 10 Regional Executive Director Lealyn Ramos, it is the third time Sec. Alcala is visiting the province as lead implementer of DA Agri-Pinoy programmes.
From 2010 until the present, Misamis Occidental has received from the Aquino administration P1.145 billion worth of projects in agriculture and fisheries, said Director Ramos.
During Mr Alcala’s most recent visit, he turned-over P266,983,340.70- worth of farming and fishing support to the province.
In support of the MisOcc’s rice production activities, DA turned-over farm equipment and machineries, including a 4WD tractor, power tillers, and threshers amounting to P7.461M. The agency also distributed more than P30-M worth of assistance and interventions including corn facilities and farm equipment to organized cooperatives and associations.
In addition, fruit and vegetable producers, as well as livestock growers received assistance packages amounting to a total of P2.37M.
“These agricultural interventions came just in time,” Dir. Ramos said.
During the event, the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) also distributed 98 units 5.5 HP marine engines, 117 bottom set gill nets, 100 sets seaweed farm implements and raffled off 5 units 5.5 HP marine engines, 15 bottom set gill nets, and 10 sets seaweed farm implements for a total of P1,746,216.
The province also received farm-to-market road project from the Philippine Rural Development Project (P129M) from the 2016 General Appropriations Act of the OSEC (P71M). The Provincial Local Government was also awarded certificates of commitment for a project under BUB amounting to P19,940,000 and a P5M slaughterhouse from National Meat Inspection Authority (NMIS).
“These [awarded assistance] are part of the government’s Agri-Pinoy program, which aims to develop the rural sector, increase production and income of farmers and fishers who are seriously affected with the continuing El Niño phenomenon,” Mr Alcala said.
