Go lauds Dar for helping BP beneficiaries

SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go lauded Agriculture Secretary William Dar for expressing readiness to provide agro-enterprise assistance to beneficiaries of the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program.

“Nag pa pas ala mat pot ay os a Department of Agriculture( DA) sam ga program an gi ni hai nat i ha ha inn ila parasu port ah anang program ang BP2ng go by er no gay angp ag bib ig ayn gagro- enterprise assistance sam ga beneficiaries nito (We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture for the programs it had launched and will launch to support the BP2 program of the government such as the provision of agro-enterprise assistance to its beneficiaries),” Go said.

“Mal akin gtu long poi to hindi l am ang para sa sustain a bili tyngnatu rang program a, mal a ki r in po an ga mb agni to sap ag si sig ur ong food security sabansa (This a big help not only for the sustainability of the program, this is also a huge contribution to ensuring the food security of the country),” he added.

The senator said agriculture was one key area that must be utilized to provide livelihood opportunities for BP2 beneficiaries and increase agricultural productivity especially at this time.

“Ma bi lisp on g mai ba bali kan gsigl an gating eko nomi yakung pal al aka sin nat inang se kt orng ag rik ult ur as a at in gm gap robins ya( We can boost the economy if we strengthen the agricultural sector),” he added.

Dar said his department would provide starter kits for those who would like to cultivate their own backyard vegetable gardens to support the agency’s objective of ensuring food security.

The agency also encouraged overseas Filipino workers to venture into agri-preneurship. The DA allotted at least P2.5 billion for three of its loan programs to support the revival and reboot of the agriculture industry.

These loan programs include the SURE-Aid and Recovery Project or SURE Covid-19, Kapital Access for Young Agripreneurs and the Agri-Negosyo. SUREAid is the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers.

“We commend Sen. Lawrence ‘ Bong’ Go for spearheading the BP2 program as it realizes our vision of a modern and industrialized Philippine agriculture sector,” Dar said.“On behalf of the entire DA family we extend our full support to the BP2 program as a national master plan to decongest Metro Manila and pump- prime the country’s agriculture, fishery, agribusiness, food processing and logistics sectors.”

Earlier, Go has emphasized the need to invest more in the agriculture sector and promote household food security in the countryside.

“This is an opportune time to decongest Metro Manila by creating opportunities outside this over populated metropolis, especially for our urban poor who wish to relocate to the countryside. There are still hundreds of hectares of agricultural lands and unlimited water resources that can be utilized for livelihood in the provinces. Agriculture and food security play a big role in regional development,” he said.

“Let us provide the urban poor the needed opportunities to have a sustainable livelihood in the provinces if they decide to relocate since they are one of the most vulnerable sectors of our society amid this Covid- 19 ( coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic as well as in times of other calamities,” he added.