“We will transform the province of Lanao del Sur from one of the poorest provinces of the country to one of the most developed rural communities.”

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol made this commitment during the Tapatan: Sa Pagitan ng Gobyerno at mga Tao dialogue held Thursday in the town of Malabang.

“Your poverty level here is 61%, this means that out of 100 families, 61 are poor,” Pinol said. “And so I am here because the President directed me to personally ask you what you need from the government, and deliver it fast.”

In line with this initiative, twenty local fishermen received twenty-footer motorized fiberglass boats from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, each costing about P35,000.

Two families will share each boat, Piñol said, “to ensure that all vessels will be used and maximized to its fullest potential.”

He urged farmers and fishers to organize themselves into groups to avail of government assistance anchored on the Duterte Administration’s goal to promote rural development.

Piñol also campaigned for cooperativism, stressing the DA is willing to pour assistance but farmers must first organized themselves into groups.

“I urge the municipal agriculture officers to form and organize your stakeholders, so together they can feel the presence of the government,” Piñol said. “We want to make life easier for you.”

Piñol said that the DA is pushing for the creation of a Farmers and Fisherfolks Credit Union to provide a more efficient and organized credit system for farmers-fisherfolk.

In past years, farmers paid high interest rates for money borrowed money from dubious traders because of the complicated government lending schemes.

Piñol made it clear, however, that farmers would have to develop a sense of responsibility to “pay your debt, so that the funds could be used by others.”

The DA chief promised to return after a few months and assess the progress of the initiative.

“Ipakita ninyo sa amin na umunlad at umasenso ang inyong buhay at asahan ninyong dadagdagan pa namin ang aming tulong,” he said.

While in Malabang, Piñol visited the P3-million Community Fish Landing Facility in Barangay Tambara, which will serve as the local fishers’ drop-off point of their daily catch.

He ordered DAF-ARMM Regional Secretary Alexander Alonto to include in the DA regional portfolio, fund allotment for the establishment of a farm-to-market road to provide road access to and from the facility. (Adora Rodriguez/AFID)