TACLOBAN CITY — Thousands of kilograms of corn and vegetable seeds have been delivered to Northern Samar to help farmers recover from recent severe weather disturbances that damaged crops and disrupted food production across the province.
The assistance, coursed through the Northern Samar Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Extension Center (PAFEC), was requested by Northern Samar Second District Rep. Edwin Ongchuan and provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).
The shipment includes more than 3,000 kilograms of corn seeds and about 1,000 packets of assorted vegetable seeds such as pechay, eggplant, okra, patola (sponge gourd), and ampalaya (bitter gourd).
Provincial officials said the seeds will allow farmers to immediately replant damaged areas and restore food production following climate-related impacts that affected their livelihoods.
The Provincial Agriculture Office, headed by Dr. Jose Luis Acompanado, will oversee the distribution to ensure that the most affected farmers across municipalities receive the assistance without delay. Officials stressed that timely intervention is crucial to prevent prolonged downtime in farming activities and to stabilize the local food supply chain.
Ongchuan thanked Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel Jr. and BPI Director Glenn Panganiban for the swift response to the province’s request, noting that immediate access to quality seeds is vital for Nortehanon farmers striving to recover income losses.
Provincial authorities said the seed distribution forms part of broader government efforts to strengthen agricultural resilience in disaster-prone areas and support farming communities as they rebuild from the effects of extreme weather events.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
