CASIS RETURNS HOME TO ASSURE PIGCAWAYAN FARMERS OF DA HELP

Press Release
October 19, 2016


     CASIS RETURNS HOME TO ASSURE PIGCAWAYAN FARMERS OF DA HELP

 After three months of being eventful because of her new responsibility, Department of Agriculture 12 Regional Executive Director Milagros Casis returned to her hometown to deliver the good news from the DA to her constituents.

Director Casis served as the guest speaker in the staging of the mobile agro-trade fair on October 15 as one of the highlights of the town's 63rd founding anniversary which was attended by hundreds of farmers, fishers, village chiefs, and local officials.

Before getting the top regional post, the lady director once served as Pigcawayan's municipal administrator.

"Pigcawayan will be the number one in the list of the beneficiaries of DA projects",Director Casis said assuring farmers and fishers that Pigcawayan town will always be in the priority list but she made it clear that this should fundamentally base on the project proposals submitted by the local government.

Director Casis meantime recognized that from 2011 to 2016, nearly P17-M worth of pre and postharvest cooperatives machines where given to rice farmers cooperatives courtesy of the Rice Program. Corn farmers likewise recieved P7.5-M worth of postharvest facilities and other interventions from the Corn Program.

Nothing the huge projects that Pigcawayan got from those years, the second lady director of DA 12 vowed that bigger and more projects are in the offing under the Duterte administration and Pinol leadership to attain its battle cry of "Available and Affordable Food" for every Filipino Family.

"One of this pet projects in Maunlad na agricultura sa Nayon o MANa which is a six-month initiative to boost rice production and seeks to lay down the foundation for rice-self-sufficiency program of the current administration," Casis shared.

Aside from MANa, Pigcawayan is also one of the recipients of another DA special project called Special area for Agriculture Development (SAAD) which aims to significantly reduce poverty incidence rates among top 10 priority province including North Cotabato province by pouring in livelihood programs.

"To our local officials, barangay captains, farmers and fisher's groups, please submit your proposal on the livelihood projects that you want to get from the DA under SAAD," Director Casis said adding that even if she's at her home in Pigcawayan, she still accepts project proposals anytime.

Director Casis also led the turn-over of agri projects such as farm tractor, palay seeds, among others to identified farmer group recipients.(LMSalvo)