By Mario Casayuran
Opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan lauded on Monday the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) for approving the procurement of agriculture produce direct from farmers under the Emergency Procurement provision of the "Bayanihan To Heal As One Act.’’
(ERWIN BELEO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Noong nakaraang mga linggo, nabalita kung paano nasasayang ang mga gulay at iba pang mga pananim dahil sa kawalan ng mamimili. Hirap ding ibiyahe ang ani ng mga magsasaka papunta sa mga pamilihan dahil sa mga checkpoint dulot ng Enhanced Community Quarantine,’’ Pangilinan said. (Last week, it was reported that many agricultural produce such as vegetables are rotting for lack of buyers. It is difficult for farmers to go to markets because of checkpoints due to the ‘enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) policy.)
Pangilinan served as Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization during the administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
As a result of the dialogues his office conducted with other stakeholders, Pangilinan said the Department of Agriculture (DA) resolved the logistical problems of farmers.
‘’Mas pinadali ang proseso ng pagbiyahe ng mga agricultural goods. Tumulong din tayong hanapan ng mga bibili sa produkto ng ating mga magsasaka, lalo na sa mga LGU na maaring isama ang mga gulay sa kanilang pinapamahaging relief goods,’’ he said. (The process of transporting agricultural produce goods has been shortened. We also helped in finding buyers for the farmers’ produce, and local government units (LGUs) can now include these produce in the relief goods they distribute to recipients suffering from the current health crisis.)
‘’Sa ngayon, nakapaghatid ng 8.6 toneladang sari-saring gulay ang PBSP (Philippine Business for Social Progress) sa mga mamamayan ng Makati sa tulong ng AGREA,’’ he added, (Now, about 8.6 tons of different vegetables have been distributed by the PBSP to Makati residents with the help of AGREA.)
Pangilinan said LGUs can now purchase directly under the ‘’Sagip Saka’’ law from farmers and the offices of cooperatives. This process will hasten the approval of Emergency Procurement under the Bayanihan Act.
Pangilinan said that to ensure payment, farmers, farmers' groups, or cooperatives should adhere to the following:
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Certification from the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA)
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ID from RSBSA or
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Certification from your barangay that you are indeed a farmer.
‘’Sundin lamang ang pamantayan ng GPPB ukol sa Emergency Procurement. Dahil dito, hindi mawawalan ng kita ang ating mga magsasaka, at mayroong mas mabilis at mas malapit na pagkukunan ng pagkain ang mga LGUs,’’ Pangilinan said. (Follow the guidelines of GPPB on Emergency Procurement. Because of these guidelines, farmers would not lose income and we have faster and nearer sources of food by LGUs.