Tuesday, September 16, 2008 7 Cebu LGUs ‘benefited’ from messy DA projec
SEVEN Local Government Units (LGUs) in Cebu are among the participants in the controversial “Ginintoang Masaga-nang Ani” (GMA) program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
These are the cities of Toledo and Carcar and the towns of Balamban, Asturias, Pinamungajan, Argao and Sibonga—the major rice producing areas in Cebu.
Dr. Nesias Vicoy, Cebu provincial agriculturist, admitted on dyLA radio yesterday that there were four components of the GMA project—rice, corn, high-valued commercial crops, and livestock.
He said the seven LGUs were able to participate in the hybrid rice program with about 300 hectares of rice lands and more than 60 farmer-beneficiaries.
Almost all LGUs in Cebu were able to participate in the three other components of the project.
He added that while there were reports of fake signatures of beneficiaries in other parts of the country, it never happened in Cebu because the list of beneficiaries was strictly validated.
Vicoy also said that the farmer-beneficiaries were organized into an association, which he and the municipal agriculturist checked.
DA 7 officials were called to an emergency meeting in Manila in relation to the “hybrid rice scam” under the GMA program, which was implemented last year.
According to reports, the Commission on Audit found fake signatures on the list of beneficiaries of the P218.7-million project. Other beneficiaries received less of the hybrid rice, certified seeds and fertilizers intended for them.
The GMA program was for “the poorest” farmers and fishermen so they could have higher yields and compete better in the global market.
Vicoy said in the same radio interview that they never received funds for the project because their job is only to identify the localities and farmer-beneficiaries.
However, Vicoy said that they validated the names of the farmer-beneficiaries and submitted a list to the DA 7.
He said they were strict in implementing the project that even the mayors did not participate in the identification of beneficiaries.
“Our specific role in this program is just to identify the cities and municipalities, the farmer-beneficiaries and then to technically-assist our farmers in planting those hybrid rice,” Vicoy said.
Since the program was implemented, Vicoy said that the rice farmers were able to harvest five tons of rice per hectare of farm land. (EOB)
