LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Agriculture regional office in Bicol has turned over a PHP50-million check to the provincial government of Catanduanes for the rehabilitation of its typhoon-damaged abaca areas, a DA official said Tuesday.
Emily Bordado, regional information officer of DA-Bicol, in an interview told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the check was turned over by DA regional executive director Elena de los Santos to Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua in a project briefing during the recent launching of the rehabilitation project of typhoon-damaged abaca areas in the province.
“The PHP50 million aims to rebuild the source of livelihood of 13,529 abaca farmers affected by Typhoon Nina and rehabilitate 15,034.06 hectares of abaca damaged by Typhoon Nina. Among the priority areas for validation are the abaca farmers who participated in the PhilFIDA-monitored, farmer-initiated Abaca Rehabilitation/Replanting Activity in 2017,” Bordado added.
Cua thanked the DA for its support to the long-anticipated rehabilitation project in Catanduanes, which is one of the top producers of abaca worldwide.
De los Santos recalled that in 2017, DA-Bicol funded a total of PHP85.16 million-worth of projects under the DA regular programs and rehabilitation efforts in the province after Typhoon Nina.
Catanduanes is one of the priority provinces included in the Special Area for Agricultural Development in Bicol.
Catanduanes, known as the Abaca Capital of the Philippines, accounts for 90 percent of the regional average abaca production with 22,755 metric tons.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council Post Disaster Needs Assessment reported that the province lost PHP1.4-billion worth of fiber and needs PHP42 billion for its rehabilitation after Typhoon Nina devastated the province in December 2016. (Connie Calipay/PNA)
