PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. personally distributed the P30-million Presidential Assistance to the Farmers and Fisherfolks and their families (PAFF) affected by the El Niño phenomenon. The president distributed various forms of assistance through the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) in Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex, Tagum City on Thursday morning, June 6, 2024.
The families and individuals belonging to the vulnerable sectors were identified from six provinces and all local government units (LGUs) in the Davao Region.
Marcos announced in his speech that the program is part of the whole-of-government approach under his administration, which aims to address the concerns of the agriculture sector in the region.
He cited the presence of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Worker and Development (DSWD), and other technical working groups headed by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) for their support in implementing the initiatives that would elevate the economic situation of the localities and mitigate the adverse impacts of El Niño.
“Kasama po natin ang mga iba’t ibang kalihim ng mga iba’t ibang departamento na kasama sa
pagdadala ng tulong at ito po ay dahil ang aming nakita pagka ang trabaho ng pamahalaan kung minsan --- kagaya nitong aming ginagawa ngayon ay hindi talaga kakayanin ng isang departamento lamang. Kaya’t lahat po ng mga departamento na makakatulong ay isinasama namin. At ito po ang [tinatawag] namin [na] whole-of-government approach, ibig sabihin ‘yung buong pamahalaan --- hindi lang isang department, hindi lamang isang ahensya kung hindi ang buong pamahalaan ay nandiyan upang pagandahin at gawing matagumpay itong ating mga programa” the President expressed.
(Joining us here are the different secretaries of the various departments that are included in bringing this aid and this is because what we have seen [is that] when the work of the government sometimes --- like what we are doing now, could not really be done by just one department alone. That's why we include all the departments that can help. And this is what we [call] the whole-of-government approach, meaning the whole government --- not just one department, not just one agency but the whole government is there to make our programs successful).
Marcos Jr. maintained that according to the recent data provided by DA-Davao Region, around 1,000 families from 16 different barangays have been affected by drought, wherein P50 million worth of production losses has been recorded, mostly attributed to loss in upland vegetable, corn farming, and fisheries.
“Limampung milyong pisong halaga [ng] pagkalugi [ang] [naranasan] ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Wala nang mas bibigat pa sa pakiramdam na masaksihan na unti-unting namamatay ang mga pananim o [natutuyuan] ang mga palaisdaan dahil sa matinding tag-araw,” he said.
(Fifty million pesos worth [of] losses [were] [experienced] by our farmers and fishermen. There is nothing more painful than witnessing the crops slowly dying or the fisheries [drying up] because of the intense summer).
Among the programs that were distributed during the turnover ceremony are certificates of the Biosecured Climate Controlled Swine Facility-Finisher Type (Inspire), Rice Program - Seed Discount Voucher, Rice Program - Fertilizer Discount Voucher, Corn Program - Mechanical Corn Husker, and Sheller.
Currently, according to the climate outlook forum provided by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), La Niña will bring moderate to heavy rains starting June to mid-December or for six months, impacting southeastern areas in Mindanao, particularly the Davao Region.
However, despite the weakened effect of the El Niño phenomenon, Pagasa says that several areas in the region will still experience dry conditions from April to May 2024, with a 60 percent reduction in rainfall. DEF