CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda lauded Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala for more than P40 million worth of projects awarded to several municipalities of this province yesterday.
“We are very fortunate and grateful for the funds provided by the national government through the leadership of President Aquino for the Kapampangan farmers,” Pineda said.
Some 3,200 agriculture stakeholders such as farmers, livestock owners, fishpond operators, irrigators’ association officers, municipal and city agriculturists and technicians, among others convened for an El Niño Summit at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center wherein the status of said phenomenon and its effect on agriculture was discussed.
According to PAGASA Weather Specialist Remedios Ciervo, the El Niño phenomenon is expected to persist until the end of March and the amount of rainfall expected within said period would be little or close to none until the month of July wherein one to three tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
However, Engineers Prudencio Santos and Olympio Penetrante of the National Irrigation Authority assured the stakeholders that the several dams providing for the need of Kapampangan farmers have sufficient supply and are closely monitoring the water levels particularly of the Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija.
Edwin Pantabangan of the DA’s Regional Planning Division also bared the actions taken by the department to mitigate the effects of El Niño such as the construction of small water impound, diversion dams, small farm reservoir, improvement of canal linings, and provision of irrigation equipment and planting materials to the municipalities of Floridablanca, Porac, Arayat, City of San Fernando, and Sta. Rita and the construction of Automated Weather Stations in Candaba, Floridablanca, and Mexico.
More than P14 million was awarded to the Dampe Mamatas Farmers’ Association of Floridablanca for the construction of a water impound in said barangay, as well as P3,600,000 for a tramline in Sitio Nabuclod, Barangay Camachile of the same town.
Farmers groups from the municipalities of Lubao, Macabebe, Mexico, San Luis, Magalang, Arayat, and Candaba also received varying amounts under the Bottom-up Budgeting Program ranging from P387,000 to P1,000,000 per project.
A total of P12,348,500 worth of projects were also awarded to fishpond operators from the Bureau of Aquatic Resources.
Several stakeholders were also given a chance to have a dialogue with Pineda and Alcala at the end of the program to air their needs and concerns in behalf of the group or association they represent.
Said event was organized by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office led by Angie Blanco and was graced by Butil Partylist Representative Agapito Guanlao, Third District Representative Oscar Rodriguez, and DA Regional Director Andrew Villacorta.
By Angelique Tuazon-Eliseo
