The Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) has urged the city government, particularly the City Social Welfare and Development Office, to prioritize local farmers in the direct procurement of vegetables for every food assistance and related programs.

The city council passed a resolution on Wednesday calling for the initiative in support of the call from the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council in Western Visayas to prioritize Iloilo City farmers.

“The initiative will also comply with Section 3 of Republic Act No. 11321 or the Sagip Saka Act that established the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development (FFED) program aimed at providing various forms of assistance to the sector to “reach their full potential, increase their income, and improve their quality of life,” Councilor Frances Grace Parcon-Torres said in the resolution.

“Despite various circumstances faced by the local farmers, such as but not limited to an increase in commodities in farming and being victims of calamities, they consistently provide support to the community kitchen program of the city government. By procuring the produce of Iloilo City farmers, the city government, in its way, is giving back to the local farmers,” she added.

In an interview on Thursday, City Agriculturist Iñigo Garingalao said that once the resolution is implemented, the lives of local farmers will be uplifted, and beneficiaries are assured that the vegetables are fresh.

He said they now need to iron out some administrative matters, such as the needed receipts and documents that are acceptable to the city treasurer and accounting offices.

“On our end, we can already engage and do specific interventions on the kind of vegetables that our farmers need to plant because they have a market. That will be our direction; we will enhance our farmers,” he said.

They will also look into the capability of the around 700 vegetable farmers to supply the needs of the city, he added. (PNA)