THE Department of Agriculture (DA)-Davao has distributed a total of 11,543 food passes to agricultural suppliers in Davao Region to hasten the delivery of food and other agricultural commodities when crossing quarantine control checkpoints.
DA-Davao information officer Noel Provido said in a virtual presser on Friday, April 24, that instead of April 30, which is the end of the validity of the food passes that they have given, their office decided to extend it until enhanced community quarantine is lifted.
Their office is continuously accepting applicants -- single proprietors, cooperatives, associations, companies registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) or Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and with business permits -- that will be transporting food supply.
This includes procurement, supply and/or delivery of rice, perishable agricultural commodities such as fresh fruits and vegetables, livestock and poultry, frozen meat, and processed food products, feeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural inputs, and fishery commodities.
Provido added that the region has the second-highest number of food passes distributed nationwide.
Applicants may visit their office to secure passes while those outside Davao City, they can get accreditation from their respective municipal or provincial agriculture offices.
However, he reminded those food pass holders on the purpose of the passes which is mainly for transportation and not to get access areas outside their clusters.
“Ang food pass dili gamiton para mutabok. This food pass must be used para sa transport sa atong agricultural produce including agricultural inputs so katong mga farmers, mga agribusiness and corporations ang allowed mugamit ug food pass (Don’t use the food pass to get around to areas where you should not be. It must be used to transport agricultural produce, Therefore it is only farmers and agribusinesses that are allowed to use it),” he said.
DA-Davao warned that they will revoke the farmer's eligibility if they will be found violating the conditions of the food pass.