City of Ilagan, Isabela
June 10, 2024
“Nilalayon naming maibsan ang hirap na inyong nararanasan dahil sa El Niño nang sa gayon ay makabangon at muling makabalik ang kasaganahan ng inyong kabuhayan,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. conveyed to the farmers, fisherfolk and families in Region II (Cagayan Valley) during the distribution of Presidential assistance at a program in the City of Ilagan, Isabela.
Since the onset of the El Niño dry spell in Isabela last April, 37 towns in the Province have been declared under a state of calamity. The crisis has resulted in more than PhP2 billion worth of losses in the agriculture sector and has affected more than 43,000 members of the farming and fishing communities.
President Marcos Jr. acknowledged the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine Air Force (PAF) for the actions undertaken before the phenomenon was officially declared, particularly the cloud seeding operations implemented in Southern Cagayan and Northern Isabela. In addition, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated more than PhP196 million standby fund and stockpile for the entire Cagayan Valley.
During the event, he distributed financial aid amounting to PhP191 million for select beneficiaries across the entire Region. This aid is on top of other assistance provided by various government agencies, including the DSWD for its AKAP (Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program) beneficiaries; the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for its TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers Program) beneficiaries; the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) for distributing farm machinery; the Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for giving five (5) kilograms of rice per attendee; and other line agencies, including the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), for providing other farming and fishing equipment and toolkits.
“Mula sa ating mga magsasaka na pilit na ipinasusulong ang kanilang ani bawat araw, hanggang sa ating mga mangingisda na nagsusumikap anuman o saanman sila dalhin ng alon, makakaasa kayo na patuloy na magtutulungan ang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan at lalong-lalo na ang local government unit,” the Chief Executive conveyed, reaffirming the Administration’s steadfast commitment to uplifting the lives of the country’s farmers and fisherfolk. He underscored several government initiatives being lined up to ensure the continued delivery of services for the agriculture sector, such as the Philippine Rural Development Project, the National Rice Program and other measures to improve agricultural facilities and productivity, implement science-based and climate-resilient farming technologies, and increase the income of workers in the sector.
“Naniniwala ako na, sa patuloy nating pagkakaisa, pagtutulungan, at pagtitiyaga, makagagawa tayo ng mas agresibo, matatag, at makataong Bagong Pilipinas,” President Marcos Jr. concluded in his message.
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