CABANGAN, CAMALIG, Albay— Rudy B. Buenavente, 42 years old farmer of Ligao City is all smiles when he entered the hall of the Albay Packaging Center here.
“Kukuahon ko tabi su promesa ni Secretary Pinol kan pagbisita niya sa Guinobatan kan nakaaging Enero 29 para sa samong asosasyon (I will be getting the promise of Secretary Emmanuel F. Pinol during his visit in Guinobatan last January 29, 2018 for my association).
Buenavente is the representative of the Masaraga Organic Farmers’ Association (MOFA) in Sitio Sabloyon, Amtic, Ligao City.
MOFA is composed of 38 farmers with a collective farm area of 100 hectares. Their farms were all covered with ash duringthe eruption of Mayon Volcano since January 13, 2018.
Buenavente is tilling five hectares of corn and organic vegetables. With the ash fall, almost 90% of his harvest as well as the farms of other members of MOFA were severely damaged.
He lost an estimated Php 100,000.00 income from his farm.
But today, Buenavente is full of hope for himself and his MOFA members as they received vegetable seeds, farm tools, a bag of Urea and Complete fertilizer from the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).
Buenavente was also a participant of the Training on Vegetable Production in Protective Culture held last February 5, 2018 in Tuburan, Ligao City and a recipient of materials needed for the protective culture technology which include UV-treated plastic; 100m of plastic mulch; two bags Durabloom; one unit of sprinkler and 100 pieces of bamboo stick.
“Dakulaon na kaginhawahan samo ining tabang kan DA para kami makatindog giraray sa kadipisilan dara kan usun kan Mayon (This assistance from DA is a big relief for us to help us rise again from the difficulties brought by the eruption of Mayon), Buenavente joyfully banter. (jaysonmgonzales)
