Department of Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar led the ceremonial distribution of facility and financial assistance to tobacco growers in Ilocos Sur, in his recent visit to the province on December 28.
Secretary Dar handed out eight power-tillers to qualified cooperatives under the Farm Mechanization Program, cash assistance to beneficiaries of the Curing Barn Assistance Project, and farm inputs to the beneficiaries of the Beef Cattle Production Assistance Project.
Thirty farmer-beneficiaries from the second district of Ilocos Sur were present at the Branch Office of the National Tobacco Administration (NTA) in Candon City to receive the assistance. According to NTA Candon Branch Manager Cesario G. Sambrana, the Branch Office has 309 beneficiaries for the curing barn assistance and 50 beneficiaries for the cattle production assistance. Sambrana, along with NTA Governing Board Member Teofilo R. Quintal, DA-RFO 1 Regional Director Nestor Domenden, Candon City Mayor Ericson G. Singson, and Sta. Maria Mayor Brigido Camarillo, joined the Secretary in the ceremonial distribution.
In his message, Secretary Dar announced the recent approval by the NTA Governing Board of the Sustainable Tobacco Enhancement Program (STEP), a five-year development program that aims to accelerate modernization and industrialization of the local tobacco industry. He added that in addition to the farm mechanization, financial and facility assistance and other projects included in the STEP, other projects and programs may be included and approved for funding during the initial year of its implementation in 2021. Among the projects he mentioned were solar barns for tobacco curing and construction of rainwater basin.
He also took note of the request of Cesario Gapatan, president of the local chapter of the National Federation of Tobacco Growers Association and Cooperatives, to expand the coverage of the Gulayan at Manukan sa Barangay and Beef Cattle Production Assistance Project, to benefit more farmers.“These are reasonable enough for approval and funding,” he said as he called for the full utilization of the Tobacco Fund to finance livelihood assistance and projects covered by the STEP.
[Text: Resty C. Cambe / Photos: Marcelino C. Ancheta]
