Some 234 farmers here have received free fertilizers from the city government and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Mayor Cristy Angeles said at least 3,852 bags of urea fertilizers were distributed Thursday to these farmers whose crops were badly damaged by Super Typhoon Karding (Noru) and Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (Nalgae) that hit the country last year.

“Talagang sobra-sobra naman ang bumababang tulong sa Department of Agriculture sa amin na nanggagaling sa national government (The support from the Department of Agriculture to us is really overwhelming),” she said in an interview Friday.

Angeles said at least 64 typhoon-hit farmers have so far received indemnity checks amounting to PHP689,868 from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation as payment for the damage brought by the two typhoons.

She said the local farmers also received other assistance from the DA, such as free hybrid and certified seeds and other agricultural inputs.

“The government is continuously helping our farmers with their expenses in their rice fields,” she added.

Farmer Felipe Patdu Jr., a resident of Barangay San Manuel here, thanked the city government and the DA for the assistance.

“Buti na lang may subsidiya na naman ang gobyerno. Malaking tulong ito sa amin (It is good that the government has again provided subsidies. This is big help to us),” he said.

Angeles assured that the city government will continuously coordinate with the national government, particularly the DA, for continued support to the marginalized farmers.

“Sa ating mga magsasaka, huwag lang po tayong susuko. Tuloy-tuloy po nating gawin ang dapat nating trabahuhin (To our farmers, do not give up. Let us continue to do what we have to do) and the city government, rest assured, is always here to support you in all your needs,” she added. (PNA)