Task force approves DA’s P31-B food fund
THE Inter- Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) request for a P31- billion supplemental budget to fund its programs and projects to ensure food adequacy during the emergency situation resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
The money will bankroll the DA’s Plant, Plant, Plant Program, also known as Alpas Covid-19 — “AhonLahat,PagkaingSapat KontrasaCovid-19.”
“It was among the several recommendations approved by the task force that include unhampered transport of all farm and fishery products, and supplies used for farming and fishing, including food packaging and manufacturing materials,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a statement.
The supplemental budget will be endorsed by the task force to President Rodrigo Duterte for his approval.
Of the total budget, P7.5 billion will be used for the rice resiliency project, P7 billion for palay ( unmilled rice) procurement of the National Food Authority, and P3 billion each for the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance or SURE Aid and recovery project, expanded agriculture insurance project, and social amelioration for farmers and farm workers, among others.
The task force also approved the reactivation of the Local Price Coordination Councils to closely monitor food supply and prices, and help implement the suggested retail price scheme, issue warning, and apprehend violators.
“Our aim is to protect consumers against undue price spikes as the nation is under a state of emergency due to the spread of the novel corona virus disease 2019 (Covid-19),” Dar said.
“We have enough food for the next two months. We are enhancing needed measures to ensure food security in strong cooperation with all sectors, most particularly with all provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, and barangay leaders in ensuring the unhampered transport of agricultural products and farm and fishery inputs, including movement of farmers, fishers, and workers in the food value chain,” he added.