The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas turned over five major projects worth P30.5 million to Aklan State University (ASU) in Banga on April 20, 2021 to help Akeanon farmers build resiliency over the extending effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Projects including P10 million Swine Multiplier Techno-Demo Farm, P1 million Modern Urban Agriculture with Hydroponics Facility, P2 million Mass Production of Fruit and Tree Seedling Project, P500,000.00 worth of Bamboo Nursery, and P17 million Virgin Coconut Oil Processing Facility were funded under the DA’s Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2) projects.
“This is the day for Aklan State University! These [projects]are not for Ibajay or Banga alone, but the entire Aklan”, said ASU President Dr. Emily Arangote. The university president is very grateful for the support of the DA-WV and the LGU for the milestones of ASU.
DA-WV works for inclusive and collective growth with ASU and the Local Government Unit (LGU) to accelerate the recovery and strengthen the resiliency of the farmers for the economy of the region.
“Today is a very important milestone for ASU and of course for Akeanon farmers. We are turning over five projects to ASU to be implemented together with the partner agencies and LGUs. This is very important not only for the Akeanon farmers but likewise to the faculty and students of ASU as their learning facility, also for research and eventually extension,” said DA-WV Regional Executive Director Remelyn R. Recoter.
She emphasized the words of DA Secretary Willam D. Dar, “if the threat of Covid 19 is real, the threat of hunger is also real”.
She shared that the response of the DA to COVID-19 is the Agri-4Ps or the Plant Plant Plant Program. In the early months of the pandemic, the DA together with LGUs has been responding especially in the urban area with no good area for farming through the urban gardening and distribution of seedlings. DA also provided food passes to suppliers of agricultural products and inputs so as not to disrupt the farming and fishing activities, at the same time issuing IATF-ID to farmers, fishers, and agribusiness personnel.
Congressman Teodorico Haresco and Congressman Carlito Marquez of the two districts of Aklan have been instrumental in the approval of the Bayanihan 1 and 2.
“It has impacted the region, particularly the rice industry; farmers were given free seeds and fertilizers together with the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. The latest data of the Philippines Statistics Authority in 2020 states that the volume of production was up by 93,000 metric tons, a record-breaking for Western Visayas,” Recoter added.
Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores also expressed his support for the DA WV Bayanihan 2 Projects for ASU.
“Aklan is an agricultural province. For the past decade, tourism has been the fastest-growing economy of Aklan, but it has been slowed down by the pandemic. We cannot just rely on tourism alone, indeed we need to develop our agricultural sector,” Miraflores said.
Right after the signing of the Memorandum of agreement, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held which was attended by Dr. Emily Arangote of ASU, Engr. Remelyn Recoter of DA-WV, Dr. Ruth Miclat- Sonaco from the National Livestock Program, Dir. Benjamin Madrigal of the Philippine Coconut Authority, Dr. Eden DLR Bautista of the Agricultural Training Institute, and representative of Congressman Carlito Marquez of the 1st District of Aklan. (M.C.M Buala/DA RAFIS-6/Photos by J. De Guzman)
