Robredo turns over livelihood package to Piagapo farmers

ROCAYA SUMNDAD OTICAL-YAHYA
March 9, 2018

ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte: Vice President Leni Robredo turned over a package of livelihood assistance to 22 farmers in Piagapo town, Lanao del Sur, on Wednesday, state media PNA reported.

The livelihood pakage consisted of an abaca stripping machine, 66 sacks of organic fertilizer, 44 sickles and two sprinklers, the report added.

The package is along Robredo’s Angat Buhay antipoverty flagship program.

Piagapo municipal Mayor Ali Sumandar underscored the importance of the abaca livelihood subsidies.

He said most of the town farmers are into abaca fiber processing as it has proven to be profitable for them over the years, especially that they are now negotiating with more investors through the assistance of Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo).

Mohammad Datumanong, a beneficiary, said the abaca -stripping machine has long been a priority need, as they currently sell their unprocessed abaca fiber for a cheaper price.

Datumanong, who maintains a six-hectare abaca farm, said he has been multi-cropping abaca with falcatta trees to helps boost agricultural productivity.

In her short talk with the farmers, Robredo said her office is also looking to partner with an NGO for capacity building trainings for the abaca farmer-beneficiaries.

Specifically, these trainings would focus on enterprise development and financial literacy, she said. — with report from PNA/RSP