Farmers group in Negros barangay produces face masks to support community health workers

In the middle of the fight against Coronavirus Disease (COVID) – 19, a crisis that affected the whole nation, an ordinary group of farmers gathered to take an extraordinary step, intervened, and undertakes support measures in aid of their fellows.

Jerusalem Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (JARBA), a Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-assisted farmer-beneficiaries organization in Negros Occidental 1-North has designed, produced, and distributed face masks to health workers in their barangay.

JARBA Chairperson Rosavilla C. Fuentebella said the farmer-members pulled up their available resources then produced and distributed face masks to their barangay frontliners to help prevent, in their own little way, the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in their area.

“The face masks, an essential personal protective equipment (PPE), were delivered and turned-over to Barangay Captain Jimmy A. Diosana, in the presence of the barangay Midwife Soledad Magbanua and the rest of the health workers of the community,” Fuentabella said.

Fuentebella said despite the lack of resources of the farmer-members of the organization, they still recognized and prioritized the needs of others and initiated to give their shares in their fight against the global pandemic.

“Such a humble act of selflessness. That is what we all need in these hard and trying times,” Fuentabella noted.

Fuentabella emphasized that the farmers are also the unsung heroes and front-liners in the production and delivery of food, a very essential commodity especially in areas affected by the enhanced community quarantine.

JARBA is an agrarian reform cooperative, composed of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) who are holders of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) from the four nearby haciendas in Barangay Jerusalem, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. (Content reposted from DAR webpage)

In photo: Some of the members of Jerusalem Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (JARBA) at Barangay Jerusalem, Cadiz City producing the face masks (Right) which were distributed to the barangay health workers.


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Barangay-based 'Plant, Plant, Plant' Program of the Department of Agriculture’

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center I (ATI-RTC I), in partnership with the Municipal Agricultural Office of Sta. Barbara, and barangay officials of Tebag East, conducted a seminar on barangay-based household gardens and distribution of starter kits last April 29, 2020 at the Barangay Hall of Tebag East, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan. Social distancing of participants was observed during the one-hour seminar and distribution of vegetable seeds.

ATI-RTC I, headed by Center Director Rogelio Evangelista, continues to amplify its effort to support the Plant, Plant, Plant Program/Campaign of the Department of Agriculture (DA). The program aims to ensure sustained food production and availability, food accessibility and affordability during this emergency situation.

Likewise, ATI-RTC I responds to the DA’s call not only to address food adequacy and sustainability but to reach out and extend help to the community. During the seminar, ATI-RTC I Agriculturist II Almera Montano discussed how to use molasses as ingredient in making concoctions. She presented videos on how to prepare fermented plant juice (FPJ), fermented fruit juice (FFJ) and fish amino acid that the participants can use as their organic fertilizers. 

She also explained how to plant in a limited space, the methods of conventional gardening, container gardening, and wall gardening. The topics gave the participants idea on how to plant the seeds they received using their available lands and small spaces at home during the community quarantine.

The highlight of the activity includes the distribution of vermicast (25 kg), seedling trays, and vegetable seeds like upo, kalabasa, sitaw, ampalaya, talong, pechay, cucumber and okra to the participants and other residents and barangay officials of the said barangay. The aforementioned vegetables are expected to grow and be harvested after one to three (1-3) months.

“Pag maitanim namin ang mg buto sa aming mga bakuran at sa paso, at magbunga na, meron kaming pagkukuhanan ng aming makakain lalo na’t hindi pa natin alam kung hanggang kelan pa itong quarantine na kinakaharap natin. Malaking tulong ito hindi lamang sa pagkain ng aming pamilya kundi pati na rin sa aming karagdagang kita,” Mr. Artemio Baribal, resident-beneficiary, said.

In addition, ATI-RTC I distributed molasses to each beneficiary to fully promote organic gardening. When molasses is added to organic fertilizers, this provides food for the healthy microbes in the soil. The greater amount of microbial activity in the soil, the healthier plants will be. 

Molasses can also be added to water and sprayed on plant leaves or poured on the soil. When the molasses is sprayed directly on plant leaves, the nutrients and sugar are absorbed quickly, and nutrients are immediately available. (https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/feeding-...).

As part of its information and dissemination campaign, ATI-RTC I also gave away free IEC (Information, Education and Communication) materials auxiliary to the starter kits given to the 30 beneficiaries of Barangay Tebag East during the activity. The total number of beneficiaries exceeded ATI-RTC I’s target (for this activity) of 20 (beneficiaries).

Indeed, ATI-RTC I’s extension services are measured not only through the number of its training or trainees, but how the training impact the lives of many. ATI-RTC I does not just train, but also empowers families to plant their own food as well as inculcate in their minds and hearts that planting is a big help to this crisis. “Hindi lang pagtatanim, kundi ma-sustain ‘yong pagkakaroon ng safe at healthy na pagkain para sa family,” Agriculturist II Almera Montano stated. (Contents reposted from ATI in Ilocos Region website)

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Insurance of barangay frontliners in Baguio proposed

BAGUIO CITY  – The city legislative body approved an ordinance allocating a certain portion of the P150 million reverted under Ordinance No. 39, series of 2020, to fund programs, projects and activities to deal with the dreaded Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 crisis in the city purposely for the insurance premiums of frontliners in the city’s 128 barangays.

The ordinance authored by all members of the city legislative body stated the need for the city government to apportion part of its available funds to pay for the insurance premiums of the working frontliners in the city’s barangays in the light of the risks involved in the performance of their duties and responsibilities to prevent the spread of the deadly virus in the city.

Earlier, the city legislative body approved an ordinance reverting to the general fund the amount of P150 million from the unimplemented projects of the previous years to fortify its ongoing anti-COVID campaign in this period of Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine.

Administrative Order (AO) No. 270 entitled ‘ Prescribing the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the City Government code of 1991’  provides that the local legislative bodies shall provide for group insurance or additional insurance coverage for barangay officials, including members of barangay tanod brigades and other units, with public or private insurance companies when finances of the city or municipality allow said coverage.

The ordinance recognizes that barangay officials, including the members of the barangay tanods, brigades, service workers and other service units have been at the forefront to provide basic health services to the residents of the city in the ongoing aggressive fight against the spread of the deadly virus.

The national inter-agency task force on the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases mandates barangay officials, barangay health workers and volunteers to spearhead the government’s campaign to prevent the rapid spread of the virus leading to community transmission of the same posing a serious threat to the health of the people living in the different barangays.

The payment of the insurance premiums of frontliners in the city’s barangays is part of the effort of the city government to provide frontliners with non-cash benefits that are allowed to be given as provided under existing laws, rules and regulations to motivate and inspire them to continue working hard to avert the spread of the illness.

The ordinance stipulates that paying the insurance premiums of frontliners in the city’s barangays will greatly help in easing the burden of paying their insurance so they can concentrate their efforts in providing quality services to the residents whom they are mandated to serve.

The city legislative body approved the aforesaid ordinance on first reading and dispensing with the second and third reading to ensure that the same will be immediately implemented for the benefit of the frontliners. (Content reposted from Herald Express)  

FILE PHOTO: Baguio City legislative officials in session

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Angara backs barangay-based quarantine instead of extended ECQ

Angara, a COVID-19 survivor, said he hopes that the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) would consider a barangay-based quarantine instead of enforcing the ECQ which is set to end on Thursday next week.

But he said it is important for the government to ensure there would be an extensive information campaign regarding a barangay-based quarantine in order to avoid public confusion.

“It’s important that the people know the do’s and don’ts about this,” Angara said in an interview over DZRH. “I think before they impose it, the DILG should conduct a massive information campaign first before doing it.”

Apart from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Angara said the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Department of Health (DOH), and other government agencies should utilize their budget for this information campaign.

Under a barangay-based quarantine, village officials would be tasked to strictly implement quarantine procedures and more importantly, social distancing.

“Tapos very strict implementation on the ground. Kasi, kumbaga ang mga sundalo mo rito yung mga barangay officials, mga tanod (The implementation on the ground must be very strict. Because your soldiers here would be the barangay officials),” Angara said.

Angara warned that having a long-term ECQ would pose a huge problem for the whole country, especially the economy.

That is why, he said, he hopes Filipinos would strictly heed the call of the government to strictly stay indoors while the Luzon-wide ECQ is in place.

“Yung long term quarantine, medyo mahihirapan tayo. Pero yung sinasasbi ni Pangulo, maaaring mangyari yan sa ibang lugar at sa ibang mga barangay kung talagang very poor ang enforcement ng mga barangay and local government officials (Having a long-term quarantine would be difficult for all of us.

But, as the President has said, this can be imposed in some parts of the country and in barangays where there is poor enforcement of the ECQ),” he said. “Pwede na dyan pumasok ang national government para i-enforce yung maayos na pamamalakad ng quarantine (At that time, the national government can take over to enforce better quarantine procedures).” (Content reposted from Manila Bulletin)

 IN PHOTO: Senator Sonny Angara ( From FACEBOOK/MANILA BULLETIN) 

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DILG orders barangays to post masterlist of cash aid beneficiaries

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Saturday directed barangay captains to make public the names of their community’s beneficiaries for the social amelioration program.

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said village leaders must fully disclose the list of target beneficiaries in order to promote “honesty, transparency, and orderly management” of the financial subsidy from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

He also said the list of beneficiaries can be clearly posted on the barangay hall, city/municipal hall, social center, gymnasium, auditorium, transport terminal, public market, health station, hospital, and other similar public spaces.

“We want the process of identifying the target beneficiaries under the SAP to be transparent. Hence, we have directed all our punong barangays to post the masterlist of beneficiaries in strategic areas in their barangays so that the residents will also be informed if they will receive the said financial assistance from the government,” Año stressed.

“It’s very important to broadcast their lists so the citizens will be enlightened and well-informed that the priority recipients are the poorest families who have no means to earn a living in the middle of this crisis,” he added.

The social amelioration program was implemented to ease the impact of the enhanced community quarantine on the most vulnerable sector of the society since the lockdown effectively stopped the operation of businesses and work, leaving the many poor people without a livelihood.

The enhanced community quarantine across Luzon was imposed to control the transmission of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the highly infectious respiratory illness COVID-19.

“Our intention here is to make sure that the barangays have a correct and complete list of beneficiaries,” said Año. “If the list isn’t complete, the local government unit can take the necessary course of action and inform the DSWD.”

Año added that he issued the order after receiving reports from field officers that there has been a lack of transparency regarding the distribution of social amelioration forms and cash aid. (Contents reposted from Inquirer.net)

Photo credit: Philippine News website)

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