THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Caraga regional office yesterday said it dispersed 60,000 milkfish and 70,000 carp fingerlings in Surigao del Norte to replenish the dwindling marine resources in the region.

In a statement released by the Department of Agriculture (DA), BFAR-Caraga said the dispersal at Lake Mainit last Friday, Jan. 12, is part of the agency’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa program.

The project is also expected to preserve the specie Pijanga, which is endemic to the lake.

At the same time, the DA donated 75 units of 14-footer paddle boats and 50 units of 20-footer motorized boats for 175 fishermen, as well as other farm inputs such as coffee seedlings, vegetable seeds and animal vaccines.

The assistance extended to the province had a total value of P7.89 million.

DA Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol, who visited the province last week, also oversaw the turnover of 60,000 abaca plantlets from the Philippine Fiber Development Authority, an indemnity check worth P265,568 from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), and a P5-million loan from the Production Loan Easy Access program (PLEA).

Jabonga, a municipality in the province, also received a P5-million loan from the same program

The PLEA, managed by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, is one of the lending programs that does not require any collateral, and is also supported by the PCIC, an attached agency of the DA.

“You may avail of P15,000 per hectare PLEA loan at 6% interest under one condition only — you must register under the Juan Magsasaka ID system so we’ll know that you really are a farmer,” Mr. Piñol said in the statement.

“No ID, no loan: that is our only requirement and of course, you have to pay what you owe [to] the government,” he added. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

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