• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An additional 900 hog raisers, who were affected by the African swine fever and other hog-related cases, are expected to receive financial assistance from the provincial government of Negros Occidental next week.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office head Chiqui Gonzales said on Tuesday (March 19) that the identified beneficiaries in the towns of Ilog, San Enrique and Valladolid as well as the cities of Kabankalan, Talisay and Silay will receive P2,000 each.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development is also processing the claims of the remaining 1,000 hog raisers to avail of such financial assistance from the provincial government.
The province has allocated a P10-million financial aid for distribution to qualified 5,000 hog raisers in Negros Occidental.
Gonzales said that they are also looking into the granting of P2,000 financial assistance to each of the more than 2,000 farmers affected by the drought in the province.
“As of now, we are still looking for the source of budget,” she added.
Damage to rice and corn crops in Negros Occidental brought about by the El Niño drought has further increased to P87.477 million as of March 13, according to a report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. | GB
