DA to restock Yolanda areas with animals

CEBU, Philippines - With the continuing rehabilitation efforts, the Department of Agriculture (DA) - 7 eyes on restocking farm animals in Yolanda-hit areas this year to fully restore the people’s means of livelihood and the economic activity in the area at large.

DA- 7 regional technical director Marina Hermoso said they are coming up with long-term sustainable plan that focuses on restocking of ‘high breed’ animals.

Yolanda, one of the strongest storms every recorded in history, hit the Visayas region in November 9, 2013 with northern Cebu as one of the areas hit badly.

“This year, banat mi kaayo sa restocking of animals, mga livestock. Nahurot baya sila’g kamatay. Ang uban wala sila namatay dayon during the typhoon pero after what happened namatay hinuon tungod the stress,” she said.

She said the program on restocking include cattle such as carabao, goats, pigs, native chicken, among others.

“We will also have an additional on mango seedlings, especially when they are very expensive na, also we have included coffee and cacao,” Hermoso said.

With the project, DA-7 is expecting to receive about P168 million for Yolanda hit areas.

 “Hopefully, we are looking for ‘build back better’ in a real sense,” she said, noting that their aim is to have a sustainable solution to hazardous events such as typhoons.

“We will be doing it (program) in a more precise way nga may climate-resilient consideration,” she said.  (FREEMAN)