P48-M support services to benefit Leyte farmers

Leyteños are expecting greater economic activity next year as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has plowed in a package of basic rural infrastructure projects worth P48-million in Silago town, Southern Leyte.

DAR-Eastern Visayas regional director Eliasem Castillo said rice production in Barangay Hingatungan in the fifth municipality of Silago will soon be doubled once construction of a P22-million communal irrigation system is completed early next year.

Castillo said the irrigation project, courtesy of the Japan International Cooperation Agency-Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (JICA-ARISP) is expected to irrigate 153 hectares of ricefields in the said barangay.

Castillo added that transporting farm goods to the market would also ease up soon as construction of P20-million farm-to-market road is underway. The road covers 6.7 kilometer, stretching from Gumamela-Intake up to Kaabon-Infres.

Also part of the package, he said are potable water supply system worth P4-million, a warehouse and a solar dryer with a combined cost of P2-million.

These projects, Castillo said, are important for institutional, agriculture and agribusiness development that are deemed necessary in the improvement of the economic status of more than 2,000 residents in the area.

Silago Mayor Manuel Labrador Sr. said he expects farmers’ rice production to double once the irrigation project is finish.

“More to it, the farmers can also transport their goods with ease because the soon-to be constructed farm-to-market road will provide them an easier access to markets,” he added.

“I would like to thank the DAR and my fellow local government officials for passing the resolution that provided equity to this package of projects. These will greatly contribute to the economic development of our municipality,” Labrador said. Dir. Hugo D. Yonzon III, Public Affairs Staff