Gov’t reaches out to farming village

DAVAO ORIENTAL— SOME 2,000 residents in Barangay Bobon, Mati City have benefited from government’s free goods and services through the Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental (NLD) Barangay Outreach Caravan last July 11.

The most-recent NLD Barangay Outreach Caravan, a flagship program of Governor Nelson Dayanghirang has converged 31 line agencies from the city, provincial, and national level providing various services from medical and dental to technical and legal consultations.

“I am deeply thankful to the government because these are the services that we really need and we get them for free,” said 50-year-old Ricky Gayta, who avails medical services for the first time due to the lack of income.

Various agricultural supports have also been poured to the village. In support to the village’s main crop —coconut, grown as a source of revenue, the Philippine Coconut Authority has turned over P 716,000 worth of cash incentive for the Participatory Coconut Planting Project.

Also, various planting materials and fishing gears were given to the residents. The Provincial Agriculture Office has turned over 100 bags corn seeds, 10,000 pieces cacao seedlings, 200 packs assorted vegetable seeds, and 800 kilograms of ginger.

The Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11), for its part, distributed to farmers 300 pieces pomelo seedlings, 500 pieces guyabano seedlings, 100 pieces lanzones seedlings, 100 packs of assorted vegetable seeds, and 10,000 tilapia fingerlings.

Engineer Ricardo Oñate, OIC regional Executive Director of DA11 revealed that they are set to launch a livelihood program in Barangay Bobon called multiplier farm wherein native breeder of livestock will be provided. The multiplier farm is the first time to be launched in the area in the entire province.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), in partnership with the City Government of Mati, turned over one unit patrol boat with complete accessories, one unit search light, day and night binocular vision, life jacket, flashlight, and boots.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Office together with its provincial counterpart, the PSWDO, gave food packs and school bags.

Ten beneficiaries were chosen randomly for the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Emergency Employment Program wherein recipients will be given work within ten days and will be compensated at a salary rate of P340.00 per day.

Lydia Carmina, one of the employment recipients, said the program is timely since the recent flooding has greatly damaged their vegetable farm where they get their source of food.