BORONGAN CITY, May 29 (PIA) – E. Samar Governor Ben Everdone posed a challenge to the Department of Agriculture Regional Director Angel Enriquez to allocate P500 Million worth of projects for the poor province of E. Samar.
Evardone said that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has allocated P50 M as counterpart for projects in agriculture, especially access to key production areas.
Evardone met Director Enriquez at the ground breaking of a Farm to Market Road in Maydolong town on May 28.
The 1.77 kilometers of Maytigbao (Maydolong) to Brgy. Balogo, (Balangkayan) road is one example of the access roads the governor said, his people need.
The governor said that the municipalities of Maydolong and Balangkayan have great potentials in agriculture.
Should the RD accept the challenge of the P500 M worth of agri projects, Evardone said he will allot the two agricultural producing towns with projects worth P100 M each.
Balangkayan, he said has 200 hectares of ricefields and are irrigated, while Maydolong has 30 hectares.
He added that Balangkayan ranked next to Dolores town in terms of rice production.
Dolores, located some 75 kms north of the capital city of Borongan is considered the rice granary of the province.
"Our offer of the P50 M counterpart and our unity shows how ready, willing, able and enthusiastic we are in supporting DAs projects and the national government's initiative for Food Sufficiency," he told Enriquez.
"Tulungan niyo kami, these projects will be fully and expeditiously implemented for the benefit of our people."
Director Enriquez for her part accepted the challenge.
She praised the governor for being able to supply the department with the needed documents.
Enriquez mentioned Evardone as one of those who have recently prepared the Provincial Commodity Investment Plan and Food Security Plan.
The lady agriculturist said that whatever project the provinces proposed must be supported by data. Enriquez stressed,
"Nganong mangayo ka ug farm to market road? Dapat ma document ang mga produkto" (trans: Why ask for a Farm to Market Road, the products from that area need to be documented.)
She also posed a challenge to the governor by saying, "The LCEs are food czars, they should be able to know if they can feed their people."
The DA executive acknowledged the fact that E. Samar really needs assistance.
She also mentioned that the province has vast potentials in coconut and fisheries.
"Ang atong assistance ibuhos dinhi, if we can do more, why can't we?"
"We want to spur development in this area, the development of an area starts with agriculture."
She admitted that E. Samar needs to be developed but many things still have to be done. "Pero daghan pa buhaton, but we will start and we will accept the challenge." (nbq with reports from Reden D. Tangara/PIA E. Samar)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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