BACOLOD City – The Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) of Valladolid in Negros Occidental is actively addressing issues related to the town’s rice and livestock in commemoration of World Food Day.
World Food Day, celebrated every Oct. 16, raises awareness about combating hunger and encourages action for the future of food.
Rosela Bayaborda, the municipal agriculturist, said her office initiated programs to support rice farmers and traders, especially those severely affected by the country’s recent rice crisis.
The MAO and the Department of Agriculture (DA) conducted regular monitoring. Together with the Department of Trade Industry, they handed out P15,000 to each affected rice trader.
The town also entered into a memorandum of agreement with the National Food Authority, making Valladolid the first in Negros Occidental to implement the Palay Marketing Assistance for Legislators and Local Government Units (PALLGU) program.
Bayaborda said Mayor Enrique Miravalles’ office contributed P200,000, which allows for an additional P1 for every kilogram of palay purchased by the NFA.
The NFA is currently purchasing palay in the town at P24 per kilo.
The municipal agriculturist added that farmers were pleased with the PALLGU program and were looking at enhancing it by next year with a provision of P500,000, which would allow them an additional P3 per kilogram.
The town is also applying to become one of the pilot areas for the DA’s Masagana Rice Industry Development Program.
Other programs to support town farmers include free rice seeds, P4,000 fertilizer vouchers, a P3,000 farm mechanization subsidy, and free technical assistance.
Valladolid was also among the local government units in Negros Occidental severely affected by recent hog mortalities due to hog cholera and African Swine Fever.
According to Bayaborda, they are not yet permitting backyard hog raisers to begin repopulation as they still need to meet some of the requirements set by the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.
Bayaborda stated that based on preliminary information, if the provincial government initiates hog repopulation in Negros Occidental, only the B4 Farms will supply the sentinels.
She further mentioned they are waiting for the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office to distribute the P2,000 financial assistance to the affected hog raisers in the town.
It’s noteworthy that the provincial government had to temporarily suspend the distribution of financial assistance due to the ongoing “money ban” with the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Bayaborda noted that to mitigate the loss of livelihood, hog raisers have temporarily transitioned to raising livestock provided by the provincial government, such as free-range chickens, goats, and carabaos. (Source: Watchmen Daily Journal)
