The Department of Agriculture (DA) is appealing to local chief executives (LCEs) to ensure that operations related to food production, processing, manufacturing, transport and delivery be sustained to maintain the production of food and bring these to major consumption areas, particularly Metro Manila, amidst the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.
“We appeal to the provincial governors, city and municipal mayors in Luzon, including the Visayas and Mindanao, to allow their respective farmers, fishers, and workers in food processing and manufacturing facilities to continue to do their jobs, provided they adhere to the social distancing protocol and follow health and sanitation measures,” said agriculture secretary William Dar.
The appeal includes drivers and those involved in the transport and delivery of farm and fishery goods, processed food products, and farm and fishery inputs that include seeds, animal feeds and biologics, among others.
“In essence, the LGU officials are the real food security czars, who must deal directly with farmers, fishers and other agri-fishery industry stakeholders in their respective communities,” Secretary Dar said.
As food security czars, the local chief executives and their barangay leaders play a key role in the food value chain — which the country direly needs right now to deliver needed basic food commodities to urban communities, particularly Metro Manila.
“Kami po sa DA ang mag-gagabay sa ating mga pinunong lokal—sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng tulong teknikal, marketing, at iba pang ayuda—upang pasiglahin ang kanilang pakikipagtulungan sa mga magsasaka, mangingisda, pribadong sektor at iba pang katuwang sa sektor ng sakahan, pangisdaan, at agrinegosyo,” secretary Dar noted.
The Secretary issued the appeal following reports that certain LGUs made unilateral decisions regarding the ECQ. For instance, a mayor prevented workers of a food processing facility to report—a move that endangered food supply not only in their locality but in neighboring areas as well, particularly Metro Manila. However, with timely intervention and appeal by the DA and food consumers, the facility resumed operations.
Under the Malacanang-issued guidelines on the Luzon-wide ECQ on March 17, 2020, “all manufacturing, retail and service establishments are advised to remain open, but strict social distancing measures are required to be observed by respective managements.”
The guidelines also pointed out that private establishments providing basic necessities and such activities related to food and medicine production, i.e. public markets, supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and drugstores, food preparation and delivery services, water-refilling stations, manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products and medicines, banks, money transfer services, power, energy, water, and telecommunications supplies and facilities shall be open. ### (Adora D. Rodriguez, DA-AFID)
Reference: Noel Ocampo Reyes
DA Spokesperson & A/Sec for Comms & Media Affairs
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