The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) has reported an initial P11.5 million damages in agricultural infrastructures in 14 municipalities in the Province of Abra which was the hardest province hit by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on July 27,2022.
DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron P. Odsey said that as of 10:00 am on July 29,2022, the agriculture assessment team dispatched by the DA-CAR in its initial assessment recorded damages on Farm to Market Roads (FMR) in the municipalities of Bangued, Boliney, Bucay, Bucloc, Daguiomon, Danglas, Lagangilang, Lagayan, Licuan-Baay, Luba, Pidigan, San Juan, San Quintin, and Peñarrubia.
An ongoing agricultural damage assessment is currently being done in other areas of Abra, while damage assessment are also being done in other provinces to determine the extent of damage to agriculture brought about by the July 27 earthquake in the region.
The DA-CAR has dispatched two Kadiwa rolling store trucks in the Province of Abra containing 3 tons of assorted high land vegetables amounting to P49.000 coming from various Benguet Farmer Cooperative Associations (FCA) to be sold at a cheaper price based on the pricing system of the Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC).
Director Odsey explained that aside from the initial dispatch of the two trucks, an assessment is also being done to determine what other vegetables may be brought to the province for the second wave, while a similar dispatch of Kadiwa trucks to other provinces may be done if the need arises.
DA-CAR has also requested its central office for the possible immediate distribution of the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) to identified farmer-beneficiaries in the Province of Abra through the service provider of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in coordination with the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAG).
Under the RFFA, identified beneficiaries in Abra will receive P5,000 each which they can use to buy farm inputs or for other necessities they see fit for their immediate needs.
“We have sent a letter to our central office requesting them for the possible release of the said fund since we know that they would be needing this, particularly during this time. This amounts to P148 million which will be distributed to the 21,000 beneficiaries of Abra,” Odsey added. **DASAADCARIO
