W. Visayas can help PHL agri rebound

Western Visayas can help the country in coping with agriculture losses, especially in rice, following the damages caused by recent calamities, an official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Speaking during the awarding of 2019 Rice Achievers Award held at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC) in Iloilo City, DA Western Visayas regional executive director Remelyn Recoter said the region has posted a positive growth in the second and third quarters this year.

“Amid the pandemic, limited movement, border restriction, we have a good harvest,” she said.

Recoter said the weather condition has been good during the wet season even with the series of typhoons in the late part of the third quarter and early part of the fourth quarter.

“Region 6 could contribute to coping up with damages from those regions, especially number one and number two (rice) producing Region 3 and Region 2. Western Visayas is number three,” she added.

Citing Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data, Recoter said the agriculture, forestry and fishing (AFF) a posted a positive growth of 1.6 percent in the second quarter of 2020, and 1.2 percent in the third quarter.

In the first semester of this year, the region produced an additional 81,000 metric tons of rice and over 200,000 metric tons in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2019, she said.

This indicates that rice production remains high in Western Visayas.

“We owe that to our rice farmers together with our local farmer-technicians and agricultural extension workers,” she added.

Meanwhile, the DA cited on Monday 17 individuals, three irrigators association and one local government unit for their contribution in the national food self-sufficiency program.

Recoter said the annual awards also inspired the department to work hard even as it did not stop working even amid the threat of the health pandemic.

Quoting DA Secretary William Dar, Recoter said if the department will not implement programs and projects, if agricultural extension workers will not be provided technical assistance, extension services to farmers and most especially if farmers will not work, then Filipinos will have nothing to eat.

Those awarded as outstanding agricultural extension workers were Sanly Galvez from Banate, April Joy Depamaylo and Marlon Narida from Miagao, Ma.Razel Serilla from San Joaquin, and Ramon Tejero Jr. from Tigbauan, all in Iloilo; Fe Pollentes from San Lorenzo, Guimaras; and Mirasol Coste and Carlito Indencia from Bago City, Negros Occidental.

The outstanding local farmer technicians were Jienie Balboa, Beverly Causing and Lailyn Arangga from Banate and Jesus Nualda Jr. and Agapito Niño from Miagao, all in Iloilo; Leonardo De Juan and Richard Nadua from Madalag, Aklan and Lalaine Ganate from Bago City, Negros Occidental.

Winners for the two categories each received PHP25,000, plaque and certificate of recognition from the DA regional field office Western Visayas.

The Durog Irrigators Association from Miagao was named outstanding small water irrigation system association, while the Palacatian Irrigators Association Inc. of Pavia, Iloilo and the Ugasan-Juanico Irrigators Association, Inc. from Banate were awarded outstanding irrigators association for the National Irrigation System (NIS) and Communal Irrigation System (CIS) categories, respectively.

Each irrigators association won PHP1 million that they would use for rice-related projects.

The DA also awarded Bago City as local government unit while Ramon Uy Sr, owner of the Foundry and Machine Corporation from Bacolod City was given special award for his contribution to farm mechanization.

Awardees from Negros Occidental were conferred during the visit of Dar to Bacolod City last week for the launch of the cash and food assistance for corn, sugarcane, coconut and fisherfolks.

Under the Bayanihan Act 2, the sectors are also entitled to receive social amelioration, Recoter said. (PNA)