The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG-6) has recognized the Iloilo Provincial Government’s “Pag-ulikid sa Mangunguma” (Taking Care of the Farmers) relief assistance program as LGU COVID-19 (local government unit coronavirus disease 2019) Best Practice in Western Visayas.
Iloilo province purchases agricultural products from small farmers to be distributed to households affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Ariel Iglesia, DILG 6 regional director, said that the province’s initiative to help small farmers is an effort worth emulating.
“It is a good innovation that may be replicated (by other LGUs) to address the current situation,” he said.
The provincial government allocated P8.7 million for the program to sustain the local economy by providing income to farmers and at the same time supply food to households, prioritizing those with strict travel restrictions due to local transmission.
In a previous press conference, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said fruits and vegetables can provide Ilonggos the vitamins they need to boost their immune system against COVID-19.
“We are running out of Vitamin C in pharmacies and these are good sources of vitamins that we need as we fight the pandemic,” the governor said.
Small farmers who wish to sell their products are being catered by their respective municipal agriculturists.
The initial batch of farm produce was dispatched on April 13, 2020. The second round was on April 29. Iglesia, meanwhile, said the province has gained another “bragging right” with the recognition.
“We acknowledge what they do. This is to motivate the LGUs to perform more,” he said.
With the current performance of the province in fighting the pandemic, Iglesia believes that it can reap more recognition from the department in the future.
Aside from Iloilo province, he said Negros Occidental’s good practice of putting up temporary shelters in the earlier days of community quarantine and the use of technology for seamless registration of repatriates to be accommodated was also acknowledged.Gail Momblan/PNA
