Eastern Visayas (Region 8) has utilized the majority of its PHP574.4 million pandemic response funds to help farmers cope with the effects of the health crisis, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Wednesday.
Under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1), the DA Eastern Visayas got PHP87.6 million with 92.62 percent has been disbursed.
For the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), the DA field office here has an allocation of PHP486.8 million with 64.74 percent has been released to recipients, DA Eastern Visayas regional executive director Angel Enriquez said.
The Bayanihan 1 funds, Enriquez said, have been used to bankroll the Rice Resiliency Program (RRP) as well as other livelihood development enterprises that include the establishment of multiplier livestock and poultry farms; modernized urban gardening projects via hydroponics propagation technology; bamboo, and banana production, among others.
RRP, the major component, has focused on the distribution of rice seeds and fertilizers to farmers during the past two cropping seasons.
The RRP is one of the components of the “Plant, Plant, Plant” program that aims to address potential scarcity due to the global health crisis.
Bayanihan 2 was used in funding the construction of farm-to-market roads; establishment and institutionalization of farming and fishery clustering and consolidation, procurement of hauling trucks, and refrigerated vans, among others.
“We’re glad to know that Region 8 seems to be on the right track as far as implementation of Bayanihan 1 and 2 projects is concerned,” Enriquez said in a statement.
On Monday, a team from the DA main office completed the two-day monitoring visit to find out how programs and projects are being undertaken at the grassroots level.
Source: Philippines News Agency