MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday assured farmers that the government will continue providing assistance to help ease soaring production costs and cushion the impact of the looming El Niño phenomenon.
Speaking at a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Agriculture (DA) has been distributing free seedlings and fertilizer to eligible farmers during the current planting season.
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| Photo courtesy: Presidential Communications Office (PCO) |
“Sa pangkalahatan, nagbibigay na ngayon ang DA ng mga binhi at pataba para sa ating mga magsasaka,” Castro said when asked about government support for farmers in Cagayan Valley facing high farm input costs and threats to their livelihoods.
“Nakatanggap ang mga magsasaka na may two hectares and below na lupa ng libreng pataba at binhi ngayong planting season,” she added.
Castro also said the government is preparing additional interventions to help farmers cope with the expected effects of El Niño, particularly those who may be unable to plant due to water shortages.
She announced that a cloud-seeding operation over Magat Dam is scheduled this week to help increase the reservoir’s water level and ensure sufficient irrigation for farmlands.
“At magkakaroon din ng cloud seeding operation sa linggong ito sa Magat Dam, upang madagdagan ang tubig sa Magat Dam na sumusuporta sa mga magsasaka para sa kanilang patubig,” Castro said, adding that the operation will be carried out by the Department of Agriculture in coordination with the Philippine Air Force.
— The Summit Express
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