Some 200 residents in three barangays in Balabac have received seaweed propagules from the recovery and rehabilitation program of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).
They were distributed on June 24 with the help of the Livelihood Office of Governor Alvarez and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) in Barangays Bancalaan, Pandanan, and Sebaring.
The seaweed farmer beneficiaries are victims of the 2015 typhoon Vinta.
“Hindi lang propagules ng seaweeds, may kasama din na mga materials na gagamitin nila sa pagsisimula ng pagtanim ng seaweeds ng ating mga kababayan doon. Mabilis itong isinakatuparan lalung-lalo na para makabangon ang mga maliliit nating mga residente sa hanapbuhay lalo pa na ngayon ay nasa gitna pa rin tayo ng COVID-19 crisis,” Ariston Arzaga, former provincial agriculturist, said.
In Brgy. Sebaring, 60 residents received seaweed propagules, followed by 60 in Brgy. Pandanan, and 80 in Brgy. Bancalaan.
Arzaga said Palawan is among the provinces in the country with good quality seaweeds production. With OCD’s help, he said more farmers in Balabac will have sources of income while there is a COVID-19 crisis.
“Mataas na ang number natin sa seaweeds production noon pang 2018 as a program of Governor JCA supported by the Sangguniang [Panlalawigan] and BFAR,” he said.
