FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM. Agriculture Secretary William Dar (right) talks with an urban gardener in Mandaue City on Thursday (June 3, 2021) as Governor Gwendolyn Garcia (second from right) looks on. During his visit in Cebu, Dar assured the province of the agency's continued support for its food security initiative, the Sugbusog Program. (Screengrab from Cebu Capitol PIO live video)
CEBU CITY – Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar has assured the provincial government of Cebu that the agency will continue to support its food security initiative, the Sugbusog Program.
During his visit to the province on Thursday as the guest of honor in the awarding of winners of the “Sugbuanong Busog, Luwas ug Himsog” or Sugbusog Program, Dar hailed Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s vegetable gardening project that encourages households, communities and local government units (LGUs) to engage in home, community gardening and nurseries establishment, respectively.
“Bilib po ako sa programa ng provincial government ng Cebu. Ang DA po ay nandito para suportahan ang programang ito (I commend the program of the provincial government. DA is here to support this program)” Dar said during his visit with Garcia to the urban farm of Jesus Cortes in Mandaue City.
Prior to the awarding ceremony, Dar and Garcia visited some Sugbusog urban garden winners in Mandaue, which covers the most number of winning gardens, despite being a highly urbanized city.
Cortes has one of the most successful stories since the Sugbusog Program started last year at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Under the leadership of Governor Gwen, many households and communities have been influenced by this food security program,” the DA official said.
Dar is in Cebu and Bohol from June 3-5 to award some agri-fishery projects to local communities in the two provinces.
During the awarding ceremony, Dar turned over some PHP43.36 million worth of agri-fishery projects and some PHP18.71 million of project commitments from the DA's banner programs to the LGUs and farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in Cebu.
Among the projects for turnover to LGUs include the monolithic dome for Dalaguete, southern Cebu worth PHP20 million; establishment of the Regional Food Terminal for Cebu City amounting to PHP14 million and one unit 4WD 90HP tractor worth PHP3 million.
The Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC) of Pinamungajan, southern Cebu also received a hauling truck and a 4WD 90HP tractor amounting to PHP4 million.
Other projects that were turned over include vegetable seeds, drip irrigation system, post-harvest machinery equipment, packaging materials and agricultural supplies, cassava chipper, and mechanical corn sheller with dehusker with a total worth of PHP2.47 million.
Commitment projects include two units of reefer van worth PHP8.85 million for the Cebu City LGU and Cebu Market Vendors Multi-Purpose Cooperative and various interventions under the DA’s rice and organic program amounting to PHP9.44 million.
After his quick visit in Cebu on Thursday, Dar will proceed to Bohol for a meeting with Governor Arthur Yap and other top officials of the province.
“In Bohol, he will also turn over some infrastructure projects amounting to PHP21.05 million which comprise of a small water impounding project in Carmen town, a farm-to-market road in Alicia town, and the diversion dam in the municipality of Mabini,” the regional office said.
Also for turnover are two units of cattle feedlot fattening with a total project cost of PHP10 million and PHP5 million each for the LGUs of Buenavista and Sierra Bullones towns; a 4WD 90HP tractor amounting to PHP2.4 million for Catigbian LGU.
Other equipment for turnover to the various FCAs and LGUs in Bohol are shredders and multi-cultivator along with agricultural supplies, grass cutters, corn chippers, and corn shellers with dehuskers with a total amount of PHP1.78 million.
Project commitments worth PHP9.61 million will also be awarded to the identified project recipients under the DA’s Rice and Marketing assistance programs such as rice transplanters, palay shed, combine rice harvester, hand tractor, financial grants to FCS/LGUs, and hauling truck, among others. (PNA)
