Quake-hit Tulunan farmers get P1.5-M aid from DA

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, July 14 – Quake-hit victims in Tulunan, North Cotabato last October 2019 have received agricultural aid Monday from the Department of Agriculture 12.

Almost P1.5-million worth of farm inputs from the agency’s Quick Response Fund were dished out to seven barangays. These earthquake-stricken areas were Barangays Batang, Padama, Paraiso, Daig, Magboc, Bacong and New Caridad.

DA 12 represented by Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) focal person Engr. Alkhomine Apad, turned-over 62 bags of conventional hybrid corn seeds, 999 packs of pakbet seeds, 200 kilos of mungbean seeds, 40 rolls of HDPE pipes, 50 units of water plastic drums, 55 rolls of laminated trapals, 9,201 pieces of coffee planting materials and 100 bags of inorganic fertilizers, to the farmer-leaders who attended the said ceremony.

“Bago po tayo namigay ng mga tulong sa ating mga magsasakang apektado ng lindol, inassess po natin mismo sa field kung ano nga ba yung kakailanganin nilang farm inputs para ma-revive muli ang sektor ng agrikultura,” Apad said.

In the message delivered by Tulunan Mayor Reuel Limbungan, he lauded the efforts of DA 12 that leads the fight against the threats of hunger in the communities during this time of COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Limbungan added “Nagpapasalamat po ako sa tulong ninyo dahil hindi na po magugutom ang aming nasasakupan at magkakaroon pa po sila ng karagdagang pagkakakitaan.”

Merlina Macion, a farmer from Brgy. Padama also said “Simula po noong tinamaan kami ng lindol, natigil po talaga ang aming pagsasaka… Malaking pasasalamat po namin sa gobyerno dahil patuloy pa rin po ang tulong nila sa aming mga magsasaka.” (JGAquino, DA-RFO XII, RAFIS)