Dept. of Agriculture to Provide Emergency Loans to Marawi Farmers, Fishermen

Replica of the check representing initial funds for the loan facility intended for affected farmers and fisherfolks in Marawi

Iligan City, August 1 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) will make loans available to farmers and fisherfolks affected by the ongoing clash between government troops and the Maute group in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

The loans will be provided through its SURE (Survival and Recovery) Assistance Program. 

Undersecretary for Special Concerns lawyer Ranibai Dilangalen and Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) Executive Director Jocelyn Alma R. Badiola turned over the P10-million worth of funds to the Mindanao Consolidated Cooperative Bank (MCCB), which will serve as the conduit bank to identified beneficiaries, on July 22, 2017.  

During the turn-over, the first batch of recipients, comprising of 80 displaced farmer and fisherfolks were each given on-the-spot P5,000 in cash for subsistence. 

Aside from the survival package, they can also avail an additional recovery loan amounting to P20,000, which will be used to rehabilitate their farming and fishing activities once the city’s situation will be stabilized. 

“Ang maganda po dito ay pagka po kayo handa na pagtapos ng kaguluhang ito, handa na kayo bumalik sa inyong kinabubuhay, babalik na kayo sa pagsaka, dadagdagan po namin ang utang na yan, dadagdagan po namin ng P20,000 para gamitin niyo sa inyong pagsasaka,” Badiola detailed.

The extended loans will be interest and collateral free and payable in three years.

“Kung kailangan ninyo ng technologies and training skills, we can provide that. You can request our office, mayroon naman sa agriculture’s office ninyo or from DA-10, puwede naman po silang mag-assist para naman po kayo makapa-upgrade,” USec. Dilangalen also committed on top of the emergency assistance while also urging them to contemplate on advocating modern farming and fishing technologies. 

She likewise underscored and reiterated to wisely and properly use the extended loans for their own good, adding that, in turn, this will be returned to the coffers of the government and be used to also help others.

“Masakit na makita yung lugar na pinondar mo na mawala na,” Ismael Haron, one of the farmer and fishing-beneficiaries accounted. 

Nonetheless, he expressed his gratitude to the government through President Rodrigo R. Duterte, DA headed by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, and MCCB. 

“Gagamitin namin ito sa tamang paraan,” he responded to the request of the undersecretary. 

ACPC is an attached agency under the DA which implements agricultural credit and guarantee programs to ensure that credit is readily made available and accessible to marginal farmer and fisherfolks.

Difficult times for pregnant women from Marawi

We are featuring this story originally published by PIA regarding the plight of pregnant women from the war-torn city of Marawi to bring to fore the hardships displaced families are suffering due to armed conflicts. ED

ILIGAN CITY, July 28 -- Seven-month pregnant Aira thought that she would give birth to her fifth child and raise all her four children in the once peaceful Marawi City. But nowadays, they are in Balo-i town, Lanao del Norte as evacuees following the attack of Maute terrorist group during the Marawi clash.

Aira and her family lived in Marantao, Lanao Del Sur – a municipality near Marawi City where she earns income through doing laundry while her husband works as a farmer in Cotabato City.

She was the only one looking after her children during the aerial bomb attacks of the government against the terrorists. Fortunately, they managed to quickly evacuate before the terrorists reached their place.

“I tried to calm myself so that I could take care of my children,” Aira said in Filipino. Thinking that the war will end soon, the pregnant mother did not bring anything with her. All she did was pray to Allah that they will not have an encounter with the Maute group while on the road.

After six weeks, Aira and the other displaced residents are still asking when the war will end. Though grateful for the help they have been receiving including of that from the Operation Blessing of the Philippines, she still worries about the health of her children and of course including the one in her womb.

She cannot go to the doctor for her check-up due to the war. Their diet has been limited to canned goods and instant noodles, which they get as relief goods.

As the end of their days, as evacuees remain uncertain, their health also remains vulnerable to various diseases.

Operation Blessing is helping the Marawi clash evacuees in their health issues cause by this disaster. It has partnered with various organizations in bring hope to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the crisis through medical and dental missions, circumcision, free haircut and massage, health advocacy and psychosocial activities for children among others. It also distributed water filters for home-based displaced families particularly in Maria Cristina, Balo-i wherein most of them experienced symptoms of diarrhea the past few weeks.(OBP)