More Cotabato peasants benefit from drought-mitigation efforts

MAGPET, North Cotabato -- More drought-stricken farmers on Monday benefited from the continuing relief interventions by the North Cotabato provincial government.At least 103 more peasants from far-flung areas in North Cotabato’s hinterland Makilala and Magpet towns each received piglets and pairs of goats for breeding purposes, supplied by the office of Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza.The livestock dispersal project is meant to hasten the recovery of farmers from heavy losses due to the five month dry spell.The beneficiary-farmers are obliged to share to neighbors the offspring of the animals they each received.Mendoza, while in Magpet town for the livestock dispersal, said North Cotabato’s provincial veterinarian, Rufino Sorupia, will educate the farmers on how to scientifically breed their animals and treat diseases that may affect meat and milk production.Magpet Mayor Florenito Gonzaga told reporters he is thankful to the provincial government for extending relief services to his constituent-peasants, whose rice and corn crops were scorched by the drought that lasted from November 2015 until late April.Besides the farmers in Magpet, residents of Barangays Bulacanon, Jose Rizal, Old Bulatukan, Bato, Biangan in Makilala and in interior enclaves in Kidapawan City, the provincial capital, also benefited from the animal dispersal activity.A total of 198,760 peasant families in Kidapawan City and in 11 North Cotabato towns benefitted from the continuing rice dispersal operation of the provincial government since April.Vergelita Guilaran, provincial social welfare officer, said at 19,883 bags of rice had been dispersed to peasant families in the affected towns in continuing relief operations that started in April 25.The provincial government’s relief missions were directly supervised and properly documented by the North Cotabato chapter of the Philippine Red Cross.Employees of the provincial media office said their operations covered a total of 367 barangays in Kidapawan City and in the municipalities of Arakan, Antipas, Matalam, Alamada, Aleosan, Carmen, Pigcawayan, Midsayap, Banisilan, Makilala and Pikit.Farmers in these areas have been sowing rice and corn seeds in their fields since late April, after rains started falling on their parched farms, made barren by a dry spell that started in November 2015.Guilaran said the North Cotabato provincial government is thankful to the PRC for helping facilitate its rice distribution program, meant to mitigate the sufferings of farmers due to heavy crop losses as a result of the five-month dry spell.