DA to start food, job program in typhoon-hit Romblon this week

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to start this week a food and job program to boost its relief and rehabilitation efforts for typhoon-battered Romblon province. The agriculture department's newly-formed Task Force Romblon, chaired by Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla and has Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup as vice chairman, will oversee the operation. Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the department will be sending 1,000 kilos of bangus, 400 kilos of assorted vegetables and 1,000 cans of sardines and other goods to Romblon to be sold in local markets. "Further shipments will depend on the demand," he said. DA has also proposed to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to deliver to Sibuyan Island some P15 million worth of rice for the month-long free distribution among affected residents at 3 kilos per beneficiary-family per day. For the job component of the project, Yap said the DA will employ workers to build farm-to-market roads in the province through a cash-for-work program and distribute piglets for backyard raising as well as assorted seeds for vegetable planting. "We will also recommend to the NDCC that the NFA distribute about P15 million worth of rice per month as subsidy to help Romblon residents. We will be ready with this food-and-livelihood package by Friday this week," Yap said. Fondevilla, who hails from Romblon, said the department will buy fresh fish from the towns of Tablas and Romblon for distribution and sale in Metro Manilas bagsakan or drop-off centers and convert the fish from the province into fishmeal and other processed products. - GMANews.TV