Department of Agriculture (DA) Region IV-CALABARZON, through its High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and Taal Recovery and Rehabilitation Program, turned over P2,687,250 worth of agricultural interventions, including a newly built 72-square meter packing house, to the Magallanes-Samahang Magsasaka ng Kay-Apas at Medina Association (MAG-SAMAKAME) and other farmers’ groups in Magallanes, Cavite on September 17, 2020.

 

Regional Director Arnel V. de Mesa graced the activity and expressed his appreciation for the resilience of the farmers of Magallanes. He said that agriculture is thriving during this pandemic and was the only sector to register a 1.6 percent positive growth, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. 

 

“For the remaining months of 2020, the national government allocated an additional P24 billion for the agriculture sector to aid people’s food requirement during this pandemic. We, at the regional office, will make sure that from this additional financial injection, there will be an allocation for Magallanes,” Director de Mesa said. 

 

Director de Mesa added that the regional office will support Magallanes to become the vegetable bowl of Cavite. “DA’s support won’t stop in here. I have instructed our Regional Livestock Program Coordinator to distribute cattle, goats, and poultry to farmers in Magallanes affected by Taal eruption,” he said. 

 

Magallanes Mayor, Hon. Jasmin Angelli Maligaya-Bautista shared her utmost gratitude for the continued support of DA for the Magallanes farmers. 

 

“The agriculture department is very close to my heart and today we are very lucky to have them here and giving us this new packing house and other agricultural interventions. During this pandemic, the people of Magallanes were never hungry, thanks to the hard work and commitment of our farmers and full support from DA. With our collaborative effort, farming in Magallanes will improve significantly,” Mayor Bautista said. 

 

Mr. Freddie D. Sisante, the Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO) of Magallanes, welcomed the regional office officials and expressed his thanks for giving MAG-SAMAKAME a newly built packing house. 

 

“This facility from DA was built in a very strategic location for farmers to consolidate and repackage their harvests before delivering their products to nearby areas and Metro Manila,” MAO Sisante said.

 

MAG-SAMAKAME Chairman Mr. Jose Mariano Maligaya shared how grateful he is for the newly built packing house to be used by their association.

 

“This packing house from DA will save us more time and money because we no longer have to rent a place to sort our harvest. Our current packing house is also small and has only plastic as shade, which is why this packing house will ensure that our products are safe and that we will have a permanent roof above our heads,” Mr. Maligaya said. 

 

Aside from the packing house containing 38 pieces of plastic crates and one heavy-duty weighing scale, MAG-SAMAKAME and other farmers associations in Magallanes also received 15 kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds, 150 seedling trays, 15 knapsack sprayers, three power sprayers, 15 plastic mulch, and 40 bags of complete fertilizer under the regional HVCDP. 

Moreover, Magallanes farmers received 475 bags of organic fertilizers, 475 bags of vermicast, 500 bags of complete fertilizers, and 500 bags of muriate of potash through DA’s Taal recovery and rehabilitation program. (MAP, DA-RAFIS 4A)