The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday turned over P11 million worth of livelihood assistance to agriculture-related associations in the town of Jagna.
DOLE handed over the livelihood grants to 23 associations involved in farming, fishing, irrigation and MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) during a ceremony led by Mayor Joseph Rañola and Governor Art Yap at the Jagna Municipal Gymnasium.
The amount which was sourced through DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program will fund various projects of the beneficiaries through the purchase of equipment such as tractors, fishing gear, refrigerators and farm machineries, among others.
According to Rañola, the DOLE grants and previous assistance extended by the Department of Agriculture will significantly boost Jagna’s bid to expand its cultivated agricultural lands.
Rañola said he intends to oversee the cultivation of 1,000 hectares of the town’s 6,000-ha agricultural lands to make the municipality self-sufficient in terms of rice production.
“When I started here, the land cultivated for rice production was only 220 hectares. So sa suporta nato sa agriculture lalo na sa DOLE mo abot na ni. Sa pagkakaron ang among cultivated rice land niabot na sa 800 hectares,” he added.
The municipal government assisted the recipient associations in complying with requirements set by the DOLE to make them eligible for the program.
It also organized skill trainings for members of the agriculture groups to improve proficiency in handling the equipment that will be procured through the grants.
“Nihatag mi og suporta sa mga organizations among gipa-accredit, among gipahimuon tanan og mga dokumento sa tabang mga organizations, amo silang gi-train unya amo sab gitabangan sa pag-prepare sa project proposals,” Rañola said.
The mayor expressed gratitude to DOLE for the assistance, particularly to local officials of the agency who oversaw the program’s implementation in the town.
“Lami kaayo siya na programa mao nagpasalamat mi ni Mr. Felicito Polo, Jr. ang senior labor employment officer ugf kang Irvin Dimiar tungod kay sila gyud ang gasugod sa maong programa diri sa Jagna,” he said. (R. Tutas)