|
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Liquid fertilizer distributed in Cebu City south
By Rene H. Martel
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Cebu City Agriculturist Joelito Baclayon confirmed that more than 5,000 liters of liquid fertilizer were distributed to farmers in 11 Cebu City south district barangays in 2004.
But he could not say whether the office of Rep. Antonio Cuenco and the Kasosyo Foundation Inc. were involved in the distribution, as he communicated only with a Department of Agriculture 7 staff member.
But Barangay Captain Nenita Bacus of Pamutan said some members of Cuenco’s staff were with the DA and City agriculture personnel during the distribution.
It could be that they went along with the group to visit her barangay, especially that Cuenco’s house is just a stone’s throw away from the DA office, she said.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to reach Cuenco through his cellular phone last night but it was off.
He earlier denied knowledge of the fertilizer’s distribution despite DA 7 Director Eudardo Lecciones’ statement that his office informed Cuenco about the funds.
Lecciones said Cuenco and Rep. Antonio Yapha (Cebu, 3rd district) told him to course the funds through a nongovernment organization.
Farm inputs
DA 7 later chose Kasos-yo Foundation to receive P6 million allocated for Cuenco’s and Yapha’s districts.
Baclayon, in an interview, said 5,231 liters were given to 2,216 farmers from Barangays Bonbon, Babag, Buot-Taup, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sinsin, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Tabunan, and Pamutan.
The fertilizers took almost a month to distribute. However, he could not show documents showing the names of the beneficiaries. These were already forwarded to the DA as part of his report.
One Ronnie Paras from DA 7 communicated with him in the last quarter of 2004 and informed him of the fertilizers for the south district.
“I received communication from DA informing us of farm inputs that should be distributed from DA 7. Folier fertilizer or liquid fertilizer will be given to south district barangays,” he said.
Baclayon said the fertilizers were kept in the DA compound along M. Velez Ave., where his personnel would get for distribution to different barangays.
No names
Bacus, in a separate interview, said among those who distributed the fertilizers were personnel from Cuenco’s office. She, however, could not give names as she knew them only by face.
She said, though, that Cuenco’s people also inspected the progress of the work on the sports complex in Pamotan that the congressman funded.
“Nidungan na lang siguro sila sa taga DA kay naa ra gud na sa dool ang ilang opisina sa balay ni congressman,” she said.
Sudlon 1 Barangay Captain Danilo Tabucal, in a dyLA interview, also confirmed that the DA and the City Agriculture Office distributed fertilizers to several of his constituents two years ago.
Baclayon said the south district barangays of Kalunasan, Buhisan, and Sapangdaku were not included because they were not considered farming communities.
His office identified the barangay recipients while the barangay leaders were the ones who picked the individual recipients.
Baclayon said there were those who received only one liter, while others received more.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 4, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
