P41-B worth of govt projects under Sagip Saka: Pangilinan

AS more local government units (LGUs) buy their food needs for their various projects directly from our farmers and fisherfolk as provided under the Sagip Saka Law, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said several national government agencies have food needs worth P41 billion this year.

In an online consultation with farmers and provincial municipal agriculturists in Cavite, Laguna and Batangas Friday, Pangilinan said this is P41 billion worth of untapped opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk.

"Kinompute natin kung magkano ito, kung ang DepEd ay may feeding program, DSWD may relief packages, DoH may mga regional hospitals, DILG mayroong mga provincial jails, lahat yan bumibili ng produktong agrkultura para mapakain ang mga kababayan natin sa mga nasasabing mga programa. At ang budget for 2021 na pondo para sa mga programang ito ay 41 billion pesos at sabi ng Section 22 na yang halaga na yan ay maari nang bilhin ng magsasaka at mangingisda na accredited ng Department of Agriculture (DA)," said Pangilinan.

"Ibig sabihin hindi na kailangan dumaan sa bidding process. Negotiated na lamang ang kontrata at hindi na kailangan ng resibo mula sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Ang kinakailangan na lang ang purchase order," he added.

Section 22 of the General Appropriations Act of 2021, as amended by Pangilinan, the government as procuring entity of food shall directly purchase available agricultural and fisheries products from local farmers, fisherfolk, or their associations or cooperatives. This provision is pursuant to Pangilinan's Sagip Saka Act (Republic Act 11321) and is consistent with Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Republic Act 11494).

Section 22 directs DA, Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG), local government units (LGUs), and other relevant government agencies to implement this provision as a policy in their feeding programs, relief operations, rice subsidy, and other programs.

Joel Batitis, city agriculturist of Santa Rosa in Laguna, shared that the local government implemented Sagip Saka during the pandemic, benefiting not only food producers and food consumers but also the LGU of Santa Rosa. He said the Office of Mayor Arlene Arcillas bought four tons of assorted vegetables from farmers in nearby Nagcarlan. In 19 deliveries, the various produce were distributed as food packs for Santa Rosa residents.

"Natutuwa po yung Nagcarlan farmers [at] hindi na kami nahirapan. Bali ang nangyari, kung ano ang available na produce sa Nagcarlan, ini-inform namin na magpapadeliver kami -- almost every other day," said Batitis.

"Malaking bagay din po para sa City of Santa Rosa, kasi yung presyo na binigay nila ay mas mababa sa presyong prevailing sa mercado noong mga panahon na yun. At syempre nakatulong din po sa mga magsasaka natin sa Nagcarlan kasi po hindi sila binarat ng trader. Kung ano po ang presyo na gusto nila ibenta na sa tingin naman naming ay reasonable para sa magsasaka, yun po ang binayaran ng city government ng Santa Rosa," he added.

The Santa Rosa agriculturist said Nagcarlan farmers were able to deliver almost 79 tons of assorted vegetables amounting to P3.12 million as they also partnered with other farmers' cooperatives from neighboring provinces. Among their deliveries were 1 ton of sweet potatoes from Kalayaan, Laguna; 200 trays of salted eggs from Victoria, Laguna; 4 tons of saging na saba from a cooperative in Alfonso, Cavite; and 7 tons of ready-to-cook vegetable packs from all Seasons Nature Farms in Batangas.

He said these was used to feed front-liners and hospital workers, as well as re-packers and volunteers for the whole operation.

"Malaki ang naitulong sa city government, sa mga magsasaka at sa mga mamamayan ng Santa Rosa," said Batitis.

Pangilinan lauded the Santa Rosa experience. "Kumita ang magsasaka, nakatipid ang local government sa negotiated rate at nakadagdag pa sa ayuda ng mga mamayanan. Lahat panalo, sana ay mas marami pang LGUs at ahensya ng gobyerno ang magpatupdad nito sa iba't ibang lalawigan ng bansa," he said.

As of November 2020, a total of 443 LGUs have directly purchased agricultural and fishery products from accredited farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives benefiting 532 individual farmers and 265 farmers cooperatives and associations.

The estimated total value of products is P2.737 billion. These include rice/palay, corn, other high-value crops, livestock and poultry, fishery products, and agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilizers.