Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair extends agri aid to 10,345 Bicolanos

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 10,345 beneficiaries, mostly agricultural workers, benefitted from the 2-day caravan of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF)  in Camarines Sur, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Monday.

The DA said that through their five banner programs and its attached agencies, P568 million worth of services and assistance were turned over to different farming associations in the Bicol region over the weekend.

During the launching program of the BPSF at the Camarines Sur Polytechnic College (CSPC), the following were distributed to beneficiaries”

• Five units hauling trucks worth P9.3 million
• Five units of 4-Wheel Drive Tractors worth P15.2 million
• One unit lifting machine worth P2.4 million
• Five packages of community-based Swine Production for Camarines Sur worth P50 million
• Three packages of community-based Swine Production for Albay worth P30 million

According to the DA, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who was present at the event, also awarded P300,000 each to the tthree regional winners of the Young Farmers Challenge (YFC), while a total of P1,120,000 was given to 14 regional qualifiers of the YFC – Upscale.

YFC, as defined by the DA, is “a competitive financial grant assistance program for the youth who will engage in new agri-fishery enterprises,” while the YFC – Upscale is for the previous participants who wish to improve their current agri-business operations.

Meanwhile, DA noted that agencies in their banner programs turned over the following projects as well:

Philippine Rice Research Institute

• Inbred rice seeds worth P7,696,520

Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization

• Six units combined harvester worth P13.1 million
• 28 units of 4-wheel drive tractors worth P61.6 million

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

• Two units of marine fish cage complete package with fingerlings and feeds worth P2 million to two fishermen’s associations
• Ten boats with engines worth P732,000

Philippine Coconut Authority

• 20,047 hybrid coconut seedlings worth over P2 million
• One set of Coco Sap Products Shared Processing Facility worth P14 million
• P305,000 as incentives to coconut farmers

National Dairy Authority

• 17 dairy cattle worth P2.5 million

At the DA booth, still in CSPC, the department said that 650 walk-in clients of the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture were validated, 700 were provided with information, education, and communication materials, and around 5,000 were given vegetable seeds, grafted mango, cacao, coffee, pili, and calamansi planting materials.

The DA reported that exhibitors and businesses who joined the 2-day caravan earned the following sales:

• P1,575,539 sales by the 68 exhibitors of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program
• P930,132 by 29 farmers cooperatives and Rural Improvement Clubs sponsored by the DA-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division
• P33,938 by the five fisherfolk associations invited by the Bfar
• P422,029.48 by the 18 exhibitors sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry
• P64,400 by the 15 exhibitors from the Department of Social Welfare and Development

The National Food Authority (NFA) also sold a total of P125,000 by selling 5,000 kilograms of NFA rice at P25 per kilogram, the DA added.

The President also headed to the University of Saint Anthony in Iriga City, Camarines Sur to lead the distribution of rice worth P2.5 million to 2,000 families.

At the Nabua National High School, the DA said that Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban and DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel Tornilla led the distribution of bags of hybrid rice seeds and urea fertilizer to 3,155 farmers and more than P1.5 million worth of fertilizer subsidy through discount vouchers to 684 farmers.

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