NORTHERN SAMAR – The Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office VIII held a ceremonial distribution of farm equipment to its farmer group beneficiaries from ten (10) municipalities last October 23, 2017 at the Capitol Grounds, Provincial Capitol, Catarman, Northern Samar.
Seventy-six (76) sets of hand tractors and 35 units of irrigation pumps were given to farmers’ associations from Bobon, Catubig, Catarman, Las Navas, Pambujan, Laoang, San Roque, Mapanas, Mondragon, and Palapag. All of them are beneficiaries of the Northern Samar’s FY 2016 SAAD Rice Program.
The event was attended by Northern Samar Governor Jose L. Ong, Jr., 2nd District Congressman Edwin Ong, Provincial Administrator Efren Sabong, Northern Samar SAAD Focal Person Belen G. De Pedro, Provincial Agriculturist Leonia P. Laodenio, and Northern Samar SAAD Provincial Coordinator Ferdinand Q. Ultra.
Right after the turn-over ceremony, PI Farm Products, Inc. conducted training for the given tractors and water pumps to ensure farmers will be equipped in the operation and maintenance of the machinery.
Northern Samar is one of the ten priority provinces of the SAAD Program for the year 2017 with a 43.5% poverty incidence per family based on the 2012 data of the Philippine Statistics Authority. ###