AGRI DEPT, GOVERNORS MEET
FOR ‘OMPONG’ REHAB PLAN
By Manny Piñol
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will meet tomorrow, Monday, Sept. 24, with 20 Governors of provinces affected by the destructive Typhoon Ompong to lay out a Master Plan for Rehabilitation to fast-track the repair and recovery of damaged agriculture and fisheries facilities.
The meeting, which will be held tomorrow morning in the DA Central Office in Quezon City, will also include the provincial agriculturists and planning officers.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headed by Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad is also expected to attend the half-day meeting which starts after lunch.
Other agencies of the DA, including the National Food Authority (NFA), the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. and the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), and the National Irrigation Administration which is under the Office of the President will participate in the crafting of the Master Plan for Rehabilitation of Typhoon Ompong Affected Areas.
The planning will include projections on the food requirements of the typhoon-affected areas, especially rice, so that the NFA could allocate the needed supply until the next harvest season.
I will personally preside over the meeting where we expect the Governors to present the actual damage report in their provinces, including the list of needed interventions so that their provinces could immediately recover from the devastation.
President Rody Duterte has earlier directed me to immediately prepare the accurate damage report of Typhoon Ompong so that the national government could provide the needed funding for rehabilitation.
He said he does not like a repeat of the Typhoon Yolanda Rehabilitation Program where funds were only downloaded after three years.
In fact, some housing projects have not even been completed five years after Typhoon Yolanda.
The inputs of the Governors tomorrow will be included in a report which I will personally submit to President Duterte next week.
(Photos show the 20 provincial governors who are expected to attend the Typhoon Ompong Rehabilitation Planning Session scheduled tomorrow 10 a.m. at the DA Central Office in Quezon City.)
More Stories
Breadfruit Grows Fast In My Dreamed Food Forest!
From The Town Of Hornbills To The City Of Fruits & Highland Springs!
After A Learning Tour,