“I’d like to assure you that the Department of Agriculture (DA) will provide agricultural assistance since we recognize that agriculture is your main source of income,” President Rodrigo Duterte said during a relief operation at the evacuation center in Sto. Tomas, Batangas on January 20, 2020.
President Duterte and Agriculture Secretary William Dar awarded an initial P2.708-million worth of assistance including crop insurance, livelihood, seeds and seedlings, and farm machinery, among other donations to the affected farmers and fisherfolk of Talisay, Tanauan, and Sto. Tomas.
This is in addition to the P160-million worth of interventions awarded to the agricultural communities of Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Lemery, Laurel, Lipa, San Jose, Nasugbu, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Cuenca, Alitagtag, Padre Garcia, Malvar, and Taal.
Dar already tasked the key officials of the DA to deliver fast and concrete actions to help the affected communities recover.
“Ako ay naliligayahan na nandito kami para makatulong kahit sa maliit na bagay (I am glad that we are here to provide even a little help),” President Duterte said after he commended the Filipino spirit of resilience and eagerness to help.
He also assured the affected communities that the government will act fast to deliver the needed services. According to him, about P30-billion budget will be allocated to cover the government’s response to the Taal Volcano eruption. He added that bigger and better evacuation centers should be built in disaster-prone areas.
Dar, DA-CALABARZON Regional Field Office Director Arnel De Mesa, and key DA officials continue to be on top of the situation by visiting evacuation areas and ensuring that the affected farmers and fisherfolk receive immediate assistance.
Last week, DA officials conducted relief and recovery initiatives in Taal affected areas in Batangas and Cavite. They also visited the established DA Taal Livestock Care Emergency Operations Center in Lipa City that serves as a distribution center and temporary shelter for rescued livestock. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)
