Biliran farmers awaiting SURE aid after ‘Urduja’

NAVAL, Biliran – Biliran farmers displaced by Tropical Storm Urduja in December last year are awaiting the promise of assistance made by Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol made during the visit of President Duterte to Naval on December 18, 2017, said Biliran Rep. Rogelio J. Espina.

Espina told the Manila Bulletin that Piñol promised financial grant or loans to the affected farmers with the implementation of Survival and Recovery (SURE) assistance for the farmers to restart their palay-planting activities.

Espina said that one month after the storm, Piñol has yet to issue guidelines for the implementation of the SURE assistance program.

“One month after Urduja hit us and affected thousands of farmers, Sec. Piñol’s promised Survival and Recovery (SURE) assistance is not yet realized as he has not yet issued the guidelines for said program implementation,” Espina said.

He said he appreciated Piñol’s idea for the Biliran farmers to shift to other crops and initiatives such as planting rubber trees and corn, but rice farming is still the favorite livelihood of the people in the entire island of Biliran because of its vast fertile agricultural lands.

The capital town of Naval and the towns of Caibiran, Almeria and Biliran were the worst hit areas in the province, with at least 30 casualties reported due to landslides.

Meanwhile, Rep. Espina thanked President Duterte for immediately visiting Biliran two days after the storm struck.

Espina said President Duterte acknowledged his late father, former Rep. Gerardo Espina Sr. as his close friend during their college days in Manila.

President Duterte, in a dialogue with Biliran officials led by Governor Gerardo Espina Jr., Naval Mayor Gerard Espina and municipal mayors led by Caibiran Mayor Eulalio Laloy Maderazo at the Naval State University, said that he is close to Biliran because he is a Leyteño by birth.