Monday, September 10, 2007 C-130 ferries Sulu farm produce to metropolis markets By Bong Garcia
AIMED at bringing livelihood to the people in the remote areas, the National Government is sending on Monday to Jolo, Sulu the Air Force’s C-130 cargo plane to fetch products of farmers and bring these to big markets in the metropolis.
Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said the C-130 plane is set to arrive in Jolo, the province’s capital, on Monday morning to ferry to Metro Manila the harvested tropical fruits that are abundant in the island province.
“This is part of the effort of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to bring livelihood to our people,” Tan said.
Tan said they have surplus of tropical fruits like durian, mangosteen, lansones, and mango since it is fruit season and there is abundance of harvest.
President Arroyo, during her visit in the island last August 23, ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) “to help us out in the marketing of these produce,” according to Tan.
He said Senator Richard Gordon has already contacted the managements of big malls in the metropolis like Shoe Mart and Rustans where the produce would be sold.
He said the arrival Monday of the C-130 cargo plane is the start of the shipment of fruits that are produced in his province to Manila and other key cities.
“As often as necessary, for as long as we have the produce and for as long as they require supply, we will provide,” Tan said of the flight frequency.
The governor said the sending of C-130 cargo plane to fetch the farm produce will be a big help to the farmers since they don’t have enough capitalization to ship their goods to other key cities.
He said the offensive against the a Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits does not hinder the farmers from working on their respective farms.
“The fact that the produce is so cheap, this is an indication that the people were able to and harvest,” he explained.
Military troops are continuously pursuing the remaining leaders and members of the Abu Sayyaf in the hinterlands of Sulu, which is made up of 18 towns.
Tan said aside from fruits, the farmers in his province are also engaged in planting abaca fiber.
He said the Department of Agriculture has already offered to provide them the abaca fiber stripers to be able to immediately sell the produce after harvest.
