A total of 700 farmers previously affected by typhoons in Ilocos Norte received PHP2.4 million worth of complete fertilizers and soil ameliorants at the Centennial Arena in this city on Wednesday afternoon.
In support of the government’s thrust to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life of farmers, Aniceto Perfecto Zabala, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints in Ilocos Norte, said this forms part of their humanitarian services to food providers.
“This is our way of extending a helping hand to our food providers that nourish us,” he said, as they facilitated the donation to farmers through the Office of Senator Imee Marcos.
Marcos, in her speech during the ceremonial distribution of the agri aid, thanked the church leaders and their members for the support that would help reduce farmers’ costs during this planting season.
Fertilizer prices range from PHP800 to PHP1,900, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA).
The farmers’ quoted prices, however, are higher than the published prices of the FPA as of this July and averaged from PHP2,000 to PHP2,300.
“This is heaven sent to us. I am still trying to figure (out) where to get money to buy fertilizer and my name has been included in the list of beneficiaries,” said Roosevelt Duldulao, 44, a farmer from Santa Maria, Laoag City. (PNA)
