Thursday, March 06, 2008 Benguet needs more development funds By Jane Cadalig
WHILE Benguet is perceived to be receiving more than other provinces in the Cordillera region in terms of agricultural development funds, Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan said much has yet to be improved in the province.
"In fact, we need more (funding) assistance from the National Government because we still have wide (agricultural) areas which need more improvement," Fongwan said.
The governor was reacting to an earlier claim that Benguet is the favorite of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in terms of funding for farm-to-market roads (FMRs) having allotted the highest amount last year.
Fongwan said several vegetable producing areas in the province have yet to be reached by infrastructure developments.
He added that Benguet was not the province being referred to, when three Cordillera regional governors slammed the DA allegedly for playing favorites in allocating funds for FMRs.
"I believe when they said that, they were not referring to any province because we all have the same problems," Fongwan said, while adding that other provinces should not envy Benguet's FMR development as this also benefits nearby localities being the major link from the farm to the market.
"The improvement of the roads in Benguet is benefiting the farmers in our neighboring provinces," he said.
Benguet was allotted P15 million from the DA's FMR program last year, but the agency's top officials clarified that the province got more because it is the major vegetable producer in the region.
Other provinces which produce majority of other commodities like rice and corn are also allotted more under the DA's program for the commodities.
