ILOILO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA) opened on Friday its second “TinDA sa Parola” and “Bugas para sa Masa,” a marketing scheme where farmers and fisherfolks are provided a venue to sell their products directly to buyers with less intervention from middlemen.
The whole-day activity gathered farmers and farmers associations from the municipalities of Leon, Estancia, Dingle, Alimodian and San Dionisio, Iloilo and even from Guimaras, among others inside the DA regulatory compound at the Parola area.
The establishment of the “TinDA sa Parola” was in response to the instruction of DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol during the launching of the “TienDA para sa Bayani” in Dingle, Iloilo on February 22 for the regional office to establish a similar center in the city.
“The main purpose is to directly connect with the consumers,” said DA-6 (Western Visayas) Regional Executive Director Remelyn R. Recoter.
Recoter said that they are using the Hiligaynon word “tinda”, to make the program more localized as people here are more familiar with the word.
The “Bugas para sa Masa”, on the other hand, sells rice at a range of PHP35 to PHP38 per kilo.
Among those sold are rice and corn blend as part of the plan of Secretary Piñol to “reduce the pressure on the rice industry”.
“We would like the rice-corn mix to be disseminated because per the study of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, rice-corn mix has health benefits,” she said.
The “TindDA” and “Bugas para sa Masa” will be held twice a month.
Recoter said it will also be implemented across the region.
The program is consistent with the vision of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for an available and affordable food for Filipinos. (PNA)
