Giving agri sector a face

IT has been the practice in government and media to report losses suffered by the agricultural sector in statistical form, i.e. Damage to agri: P1-billion.

In this issue, we decided to give our readers the real score – that beyond and more than the statistics, there were the small farmers and fisherfolk that carried the burden. It was they who suffered the most after efforts to continue to deliver food for our families to survive.

Hence, our headline: “Farmers, fisherfolk suffer P1-B in losses.” We could have written it as “Ompong’s damage to agri: P1-B” Note the difference?

It is our intent to call attention to the plight of our farmers each time a calamity hits the province. We have long taken their contribution not only to the economy for granted but to their efforts to keep Filipinos strong, hale and hearty.

It is, therefore, heartening to learn that President Duterte has given specific instructions to Land Bank and Development Bank of the Philippines to craft financial loan packages that our farmers can avail of under the easiest terms, meaning minus the usual commercial banking requirements for loans.

Our farmers need help from our government and the concern of every family.

 

Cimatu must go

THE tragedy that struck Itogon, Benguet, at the height of super Typhoon “Ompong” is another proof of how some of our government officials are that inefficient and love to sleep on their job.  With two bunkers abandoned by a mining company collapsing under the weight of rain-spawned erosion, scores were killed and many others are feared buried in the rubble.  Only a miracle a.k.a. an act of God can save the missing from death.  President Duterte is seething in anger.  Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu is lucky Mr. Duterte has not fired him. N’yet, anyway.

If we come down to it, the President had strongly batted for strict implementation of mining laws almost the very minute he was sworn to office in 2016.  The Itogon tragedy would not have happened had Cimatu acted with dispatch.  Almost always, it is the President’s Men that falter.

Woe to our hapless folk.

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