The Duterte administration’s Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program had a successful launch in Region 8 last August 7, 2020 at the National Irrigation Administration’s Region VIII Training Center in Marasbas, Tacloban City, highlighted by a consultation and MOU signing ceremony between NIA, DepEd, DAR, BJMP, Irrigators ‘Associations (IAs), and Irrigators’ Service Cooperatives (ISC).
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles led the “virtual” Stakeholder Orientation-Consultation and Memorandum of Understanding and noted that the activity was proof of the EPAHP’s growing reach and continued success in the region.
“The program aims to link farmers groups like irrigator associations to government feeding programs.”
“It’s my honor to be part of this activity. We are including Region 8 in the ever-increasing list of program areas where we fight poverty and combat hunger. So far, we have seven (7) Irrigator Association partners, including those from Region IV-A and Region IX,” explained Nograles, who also chairs the NIA Board.
The Malacañang official was joined in the online or “virtual” signing by
National Irrigation Administrator (Ret.) General Ricardo R. Visaya, Institutional Development Division Manager Dr. Leo L. Gallego, Operations Manager Engineer Delsy J. Revellame, Public Affairs and Information Staff Manager Eden Victoria C. Selva, Leyte Regional Prison Chief Superintendent Arturo N. Sabadisto, Southern Leyte State University Campus Director Gary D. Garcia, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Provincial Warden (Ret.) Private Lieutenant Colonel Brendo A. Gamez, Assistant Regional Director Junior Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy C. Taol, NIA Region 8 Regional Manager Manuel L. Raneses, NIA Division Manager of Biliran-Leyte del Norte-Leyte del Sur Irrigation Management Office Engineer Conrado M. Samson, Department of Agrarian Reform PARPO Josefina Corazon Turla, Engr. Alma Penero-Carpo, Department of Education-Biliran Division Mr. Karl Caspar H. Cervantes, presidents of various Irrigators Associations and Provincial Federation of Irrigators Associations.
In explaining the thrusts of EPAHP and #GoodbyeGutom, the head of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger stressed that the program “aims to link farmers groups like Irrigator Associations to government feeding programs in order to generate added revenue for Filipino farmers, ensure food security and nutrition and reduce poverty and hunger in communities all over the country.”
Through EPAHP, farmers groups will have an opportunity to sell their produce directly to government. EPAHP, he added, was tied to the Sustainable Development Goals of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and related directives of President Rogrigo Duterte, the foremost aim of which is to reduce poverty incidence to 14% at his term’s end.
“Different organizations work under the EPAHP umbrella. From an initial three agencies, we now have fourteen which includes the DILG, BJMP, DepEd, DOH, NNC, DOST, DTI, NAPC, NIA, TESDA, PopCom, LANDBANK, DBP and the DICT,” the former Davao legislator explained.
Through EPAHP, farmers groups will have an opportunity to sell their produce directly to government.
In the most recent EPAHP Steering Committee Meeting last July 24, 2020, it was agreed that regional meetings be regularized to guide the implementing agencies with directions from the central office and fast-track program implementation.
“With the help of DTI, we are also setting up mechanisms to link farmers organizations with the private sector in order to increase the level of buying and selling of farm produce from our local farmers.”
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the EPAHP Steering Committee approved the inclusion of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), National Dairy Authority (NDA), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) as additional partners and implementors.
Nograles enjoined all EPAHP partner agencies to continue supporting Irrigator Associations and Irrigator Service Cooperatives by buying their agricultural produce and linking more farmers groups to institutional feeding programs. He also encouraged more farmer groups to be more pro-active in connecting with government programs in order to ensure a steady market for their products.