RTA reports ASF outbreak, corn drought as Sec. Dar vows support

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October 01, 2020 – “Maraming salamat at napadalaw po kayo ulit. Nandito po kaming lahat na sumusuporta sa inyo. Timing na timing ang pagdalaw n’yo para mapakinggan po kayo ng aming mga kababayan at ng Nueva Vizcaya”, Gov. Rodito Albano III said expressing his thanks to Secretary William Dar of the Department of Agriculture during his site visit of the Hybrid Rice Varietal and Fertilizer Trial Project yesterday, September 30, 2020 at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in San Mateo, Isabela. In his message, Gov. Albano reported cases of recurrence of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak that currently hits the province as well as the problem of corn farmers affected by drought. “Tnamaan po kami ng napakalakas na ASF na halos lahat ng bayan po, nandito po yung mga mayor. Iyan po ang tumama sa amin ngayon,” the governor said. “Dahil po sa utos ninyo at ni Pangulong Duterte na dagdag sa presyo sa ating mga palay at para rin sa ayuda ng aming sektor ng magsasaka na nagtatanim po ng mais, kaya kami po ay nagkakandarapa na bilhin lahat ng mais. Alam nyo naman po pag walang baboy, mahina po ang benta ng mais,” the governor added. In response, Sec. Dar vowed his support by extending additional Quick Response Fund (QRF) to corn farmers of Isabela. “Kami po ay natutuwa dahil sa inanunsyo n’yong ayuda at sasabayan po namin ang ayudang ‘yan,” the governor said. The secretary’s visit to Isabela was capped by awarding and turn-over of hand tractors and rice-farming technology packages to Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Cagayan to ensure a competitive, sustainable, continuous productivity and resilient rice economy in the region. Sec. Dar spearheaded the turn-over of 8 units of hand tractors to 4 FCAs-Cooperators of Rice Business Innovations (RiceBis Program), 3 units hand tractors and vegetable seeds to Rebel Returnees of San Mariano, Isabela to support the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) and help RRs integrate into society in partnership with the 95th Infantry Division, Philippine Army. Five farmers organizations which ventured into organic vegetable production were given UV treated PE film plastic, insect nets, plastic mulch and seedling trays while the LGU Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) centers received ICT gadgets. Sec. Dar also announced that the agriculture department is targeting to extend P5,000 in Cash and Food Assistance to 751,000 farmers across the country or those poorer sectors of the farming, fishing and upland agriculture communities including indigenous people whose incomes were affected by COVID-19 pandemic through an allocation of P4 billion under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, or the Bayanihan 2. The agri chief explained that despite some disruptions as to movement and marketing of agricultural products of farmers and fisherfolks during the past six months of quarantine, overall the country has enough food supply. “Dagdagan pa natin ng sipag para ma-achieve ang ating minimithi na 93 to 95% na rice self-sufficiency,” he said and urged farmers to continue planting in order to attain higher rice sufficiency rate which currently is at 86%. He said that agriculture is the only sector which reported a growth rate at 1.6 percent in terms of output in the second quarter of the year amidst global health crisis. “Ito ay dahil masisipag ang ating mga magsasaka, mangingisda at mga LGU leaders na katuwang natin sa kanayunan”, he added. Vice Governor Faustino Dy III was present during the activity, together with LPGMA Partlylist representative Alan Ty, Provincial Board members of Isabela, former congresswoman Ana Cristina Go, municipal mayors of Burgos, San Isidro, Tumauni, Aurora and San Mateo, as well as municipal mayors of Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya and Allacapan in Cagayan.