HILING NG DA PARA MATIYAK ANG SUPLAY NG PAGKAIN: P1-B DAGDAG NA BUDGET

HINILING ni Agriculture Secretary William Dar na mabigyan ng P1-B supplemental budget ang  kagawaran upang matiyak  ang seguridad sa pagkain at mapanatiling matatag ang presyo nito sa merkado sa gitna ng pinaiiral na Enhanced Community Quarantine sa buong Luzon dulot ng coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“We respectfully request for a supplemental budget in the amount of P1 billion to support the Department of Agriculture’s programs in the next two (2) months in connection with COVID-19, particularly in ensuring food supply availability and price stabilization,” wika ni Dar sa kanyang sulat na ipina-rating kay Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“While the DA’s support systems are already in place to ensure food supply availability, we need additional funds to sustain their implementation, especially in areas where the enhanced community quarantine is strictly enforced,” pahayag ni Dar.

“The DA has a quick response fund as all other agencies, but we want to proactively deal with the situation by ensuring the continuous production, processing, packaging and delivery of basic food commodities to major consumption centers, particularly Metro Manila,” wika pa ng DA chief.

“With the P1-billion supplemental budget, we will upscale the ‘Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita’ project by establishing more outlets in partnership with local chief executives in Metro Manila.”

“We will also pursue partnerships with government and private agencies interested to set up Kadiwa stores to provide the basic food needs of their re-spectice employees,”  dagdag pa ng kalihim.

Kaugnay naman ng Kadiwa project at iba pang market logistics support sa food value chain system, naglaan ang DA ng P325 milyon o tinatayang nasa one-third ng hinihiling na P1-B supplemental budget.

Malaking bahagi nito ay ilalaan sa extensive promotion ng urban agriculture sa Metro Manila at iba pang siyudad na nagkakahalaga ng P250 milyon, habang nasa P200 milyon naman ang ilalagay sa production support sa pamamagitan ng seeds at inputs.

Maglalaan  naman ang DA ng P150 milyon bilang suporta sa agriculture workers para sa medical assistance, biosecurity measures at financial assis-tance, information at communications.

Napag-alamang layon din ng kagawaran na patatagin ang suggested retail price (SRP) monitoring at pagpapatupad nito sa paglalaan din ng halagang P75 milyon

“We commit to make efficient use of the supplemental budget during this challenging time, as this grim episode is indeed a huge challege for all of us,” saad ni Dar. BENEDICT ABAYGAR, JR.