Bontoc City – The Special Area for Agriculture and Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – Cordillera Regional Office in partnership with the Mountain Province Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MP-PTF-ELCAC), distributed 2,000 heads of layer chickens and 37 heads of carabaos to local farmers coming from barangays who were affected by insurgency.
MP-PTF-ELCAC Chair and Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. recalled that the livelihood intervention from the DA is a result of the series of ELCAC consultations that were conducted last year to the listed barangays to identify and recognize the needed interference from the government.
“This is among the result of the wholistic approach that the government has introduced to further help our constituents,” Lacwasan said.
On behalf of the recipients, the governor expressed his gratitude to the DA for its continuous intervention to uplift the lives of local farmers amidst the current pandemic. He said that the intervention will surely help the local farmers and boost the egg production in the province.
The governor also said that animal dispersal program of the DA will augment the chick and livestock animal dispersal program of the provincial government. The governor added that the provincial government’s chick dispersal program continues to benefit local farmers province-wide.
Meanwhile, considering the limited movement of people that was brought about by the current pandemic, Lacwasan ordered the transport of the layer chickens to farmer-recipients from the ELCAC-identified barangays on August 20.
On a separate occasion, 37 farmers from barangays Guina-ang and Dalican in Bontoc, received carabaos at the Provincial Veterinary Office Compound on August 21.
The turn-over was led by Governor Lacwasan, Vice-Gov. Francis O. Tauli and Provincial Veterinarian Rodelio B. Bagawi. It was witnessed by members of the AFP, PNP, and representatives from the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist of Bontoc and SAAD- Mountain Province Office.
Vice-Governor Tauli joined the governor in expressing gratitude to the DA and urged the recipients to do their part in taking good care of the animal since the government continues to extend interventions to help the local farmers.
Moreover, the farmer-recipients shared that the carabao that they received will enhance their economic status and agricultural activities. (Erwin S. Batnag)