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Wednesday, August 31, 2005
P5M released for N. Cotabato rubber program
UNDERSECRETARY Jesus Benamira of the Department of Agriculture brought good news to the people of North Cotabato when he announced the release of P5 million as initial support fund for the provincial government's rubber development program.
Benamira, who represented Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban as guest speaker at the opening of the weeklong celebration of North Cotabato's 91st foundation anniversary Saturday, hailed the gains of the Provincial Government in the fight against poverty.
From being one of the five poorest provinces in the country in 1998, North Cotabato is now a favorite investment area for big agribusiness companies in Central Mindanao.
The province is also the region's leader in jobs generation with almost 70 thousand jobs created through the influx of investments in the past three years.
Benamira lauded the direction being taken by the provincial government towards market-oriented agriculture. Since last year, North Cotabato has focused on four priority crops--hybrid coconut, cardava banana, oil palm and rubber--in its agricultural development program.
North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piñol thanked DA for its support to the province's rubber development program.
"I explained our program to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the opening of North Cotabato Trade Fair and Fruit Festival at SM Megamall August 5, and how it can help generate jobs and export earnings for the country while also helping in re-greening the Philippines," the governor said.
"I also talked to Agriculture Secretary Panganiban, and during the Mindanao Agri-Fisheries Investment Forum at the Apo View Hotel in Davao City on August 16, he said the Department will provide P30 million for the program," he added.
Piñol said the fund would be used to finance the Provincial Government's barangay-based rubber development program which aims to set up rubber seedling nurseries in the different barangays to provide planting materials to farmers on a plant-now-pay-later basis.
A series of seminars on rubber nursery management has been scheduled starting September 5 in Alamada town following a meeting between the governor, municipal mayors and barangay chairmen Friday. (BOT)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 31, 2005 issue)
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