TABUK CITY, KALINGA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) opens the second bagsakan center in Kalinga, a flagship program of President Arroyo under the Poverty Alleviation and Hunger Mitigation Program.
Provincial Agriculturist Gerry Jose said Barangay Tuga of this city, will have its own bagsakan center, managed by its barangay council.
In the program guidelines, DA will provide P150,000.00 soft loan without interest to the bagsakan center to augment its seed fund.
Government creates bagsakan centers in strategic points in the countryside to bring down basic commodities to the poor at affordable prices.
Recipients of these projects are usually farmer cooperatives and other DA-accredited non-government organizations.
Jose said goods being sold at the centers are the direct produce of members, offered at prices lower than the commercial rate.
This is tied-up with the other programs of DA like the Gulayan para sa Masa, where farmers are provided certified vegetable seeds for propagation and livelihood. The program has now expanded with its livestock component.
Bagsakan centers are supposed to be trade points of the Gulayan program, he added.
These programs of government when rolled all together are geared towards the solution of poverty and hunger among low-income families, Jose said.
After Tuga, the other barangays to be provided with bagsakan centers are Malalao, Lacnog, Bantay of Tabuk City; Taga, Pinukpuk; Salegseg, Balbalan and Lubuagan. L.Lopez
