Cojuangco barks at Yap
ROSALES—Fifth District Representative Mark Cojuangco has lashed at Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap for the DA’s alleged slow assistance to farmers affected by typhoon “Pepeng” last year.
“We are not happy with what the national government is doing to respond to what happened to us because of Pepeng,” said Cojuangco during a media forum.
Rosendo So, founding chairman of Abono, backed Cojuangco’s observation as he lamented the failure of the DA to release the promised fertilizer assistance to the farmers four months after the typhoon destroyed millions worth of agricultural crops.
DA Regional Director Cipriano Santiago, however, defended Yap saying that while the scheme was not fully implemented, it is not in the mandate of the DA to give cash assistance as an alternative.
In a letter dated January 7, 2010 to So on the fertilizer assistance, Santiago said,” It is unfortunate, however, that the initial scheme of providing the fertilizers that is “in kind” did not push thru.”
Santiago said the agriculture department is currently spending part of the P1.8-billion funds of the department for the certified seeds distributed to the farmers. Of this amount, P81.7-million was spent for Region 1 and about more than P100-million was used for Pangasinan.
However, Cojuangco said farmers are being given the runaround by the DA.
Cojuangco appealed that part of the P12-billion rehabilitation fund set aside by the national government for areas affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng be allocated to assist the farmers completely affected.
He also asked the national government to stop cutting down the covered area for beneficiaries.
REIMBURSEMENT
Yap, meanwhile, in a memorandum to the regional executive directors dated Dec. 9, 2009, ordered the implementation of the Fertilizer Reimbursement Scheme to cushion the impact of the damages caused by Ondoy and Pepeng and to ensure the fertilizer assistance will reach the affected-farmer beneficiaries the soonest possible time.
Yap ’s memorandum specified that the fertilizer assistance can only be given to farmers included in master list validated by the regional offices.
These farmers were identified as those who have planted from October 1, 2009 to March 15, 2010. The reimbursement of the farmers’ fertilizer purchases is supposed to last until May 15.
About 130,000 hectares of agricultural land was affected by the consecutive typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” throughout the country.
So added, “Parang dinelay yong fertilizer assistance para ma- prioritize yong imported rice.”
He said they just discovered last week that the original 30,000 hectares declared to have been totally damaged by Pepeng have been trimmed down to only 10,593 hectares in the validation made by agriculture officials.
“Napinsala na kayo tapos magtatawaran pa kayo, insulto po sa ating distrito yan. Sana baguhin ninyo ang inyong pananaw,” So said.
Cojuangco and So vowed to bring the matter to the national government’s attention.#
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