Thirty provinces accepted the challenge of Agriculture Secretary William Dar to implement measures that will arrest low palay prices and cushion its impact on farmers.
“The League of Provinces of the Philippines is fully behind you in your projects and programs. For sure we want to make our farmers and agricultural growers and producers financially stable,” said LPP president and Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr. said in a meeting with Dar.
The governors of 13 rice-producing provinces initially responded to Dar’s request for the PLGUs to allot funds to bankroll palay-buying, drying, milling and rice marketing.
These include the governors of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cagayan and Bataan who collectively have allotted P3 billion.
Another 17 provinces expressed intent to partner with the department.