CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Governor Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda is now studying several options that would help the province’s 25,000 farmers and protect their annual yield.
During a meeting with the Regional Management Council (RMC) of the Department of Agriculture, one of the options raised is the entering into a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) for the insurance of 25,000 hectares of farmlands amounting to almost P32.5 million.
“Gusto ko kasing maramdaman ng lahat ng mga magsasaka sa Pampanga ang tulong na galing sa kanilang pamahalaang panlalawigan. Kasi naririnig ko na hindi man lang nila alam na may ayuda,” Pineda said.
Aside from crop insurance, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has also vowed the provision of organic and synthetic fertilizers to increase farm produce.
The National Irrigation Authority (NIA), headed by regional director Manuel Collado, meantime, said that with the support of the governor, they could complete ongoing irrigation works in Anao, Mexico town including the eroded section of the Pampanga Delta in Sta. Catalina, San Luis town.
Mildred Saligan, National Meat Inspection System (NMIS) manager, said they are willing to assist in the accreditation and improvement of the province’s slaughterhouses, and could augment up to 50 percent of the total cost of improvement or construction.
The Philippine Carabao Center, on the other hand, said they will assist the governor in the provision of carabaos, sheep and other domestic animals that could generate income particularly for the Aetas of Nabuclod in Floridablanca.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), for their part, said they would provide fingerlings and technical assistance to the office of the governor in its program for fingerlings dispersal.
The BFAR said the province is still number one in Central Luzon in tilapia production and they said with the help of the governor, Pampanga can maintain its rank as No. 1 tilapia producer.
Joel P. Mapiles
Central Luzon Daily
