Friday, December 19, 2008 DA's livelihood program aids poor Mindanao towns
THE Support to Emergency Livelihood and Assistance Program (Selap) has been considered as a toll for peace and development in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.
This was according to Roger C. Chio, regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for Southern Mindanao, during the wrap-up meeting held Tuesday.
Selap is one of the foreign-funded programs of the department that is tailor-fit to the needs of local government units. It helps them bring out their agricultural programs, both on infrastructure and livelihood.
Chio said Southern Mindanao alone has received a total of P105 million for the past three years (2006-2008), and this was translated to infrastructure and livelihood projects that specifically addressed the present Fields program (fertilizer, irrigation, extension, loans, dryers, and seeds) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
These projects are mostly farm-to-market roads, rehabilitation of bailey bridges, trading centers, distribution of planting materials, and post harvest facilities.
"For this year, we have expanded our commitment and delivery of Selap project to some conflict-affected areas in Davao del Sur, Shariff kabunsuan, and Sultan Kudarat provinces," Chio said.
He added that there is an ongoing construction of a trading center worth P5 million in Malalag, Davao del Sur and farm-to-market road projects in Pigcalan, Sultan Kudarat.
It also distributed 20,000 hills of rubber in the war-stricken municipality of New Bataan in Compostela Province.
Chio reported that in Sarangani Province, there were already about 12 farm-to-market road sections and 10 multi-purpose dryer pavements constructed through Selap. This is aside from the three abaca spindle machines and four power sprayers that were already distributed to farmers.
Chio emphasized that Selap contributed to the government's peace-building and poverty alleviation efforts in Mindanao.
"We hope that this kind of program will continue since this has augmented so much DA's regular programs in the poor municipalities of Mindanao," Chio said. (Aggie Media Service)
