The local government here said the financial aid provided by the national government to farmers is timely, as this would help them buy boosters for their fruit trees in time for the town’s “Fruit Festival”.
“Malaking tulong po ito sa mga farmers natin pambili ng fertilizer, insecticide kasi alam naman natin na tumaas ang mga presyo ng supplies (This is a big help for the farmers so that they can buy fertilizers and insecticides, especially with the increase in their prices),” Mayor Alfredo Dacumos said on the sidelines of the distribution of the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolks (PAFF) at the municipal hall on Thursday.
Known as the “Fruit Basket of Benguet”, the town holds its annual “Fruit Festival” as a thanksgiving event for its bountiful agricultural harvests. Among fruits grown in the town are bananas, oranges, pomelo, papaya, pineapple, guava, coconut, rambutan, durian, mangosteen, and lanzones.
The event features a lineup of various activities showcasing the municipality’s agriculture, tourism, and industry assets, which run from mid-August to September.
On Thursday, 573 beneficiaries each received PAFF worth PHP2,325 from the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR). They are part of the 123,144 beneficiaries from the region’s six provinces.
The DA received more than PHP430 million for the PAFF cash aid in the region.
The beneficiaries must personally receive the cash aid, as representatives are not allowed.
Oracion Tolmod, 77, a native of the town, said the assistance he received will be used for the needs of his garden where he grows vegetables, fruits, and corn.
Juliet Quinio, 53, also said she will use the money for their daily needs.
DA-CAR Field Operations Division OIC chief, Dr. Leisley Deligen, meanwhile, urged farmers across the region to register with the Registry System of Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) to ensure their inclusion in government programs, assistance, and development plans for the agriculture sector.
“We are inviting all our farmers to come to their municipal agriculture office and have their names registered in the RSBSA because many farmers in CAR remain unregistered,” Deligen said in an interview.
He noted that PAFF beneficiaries were selected from the RSBSA database and verified by local government units.
“We have scheduled the distribution in the whole region until July,” he said. (PNA)