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By Conrad M. Cariño, Senior
Desk Editor
Perhaps it is high time for many
poor families in Metro Manila to go back to the provinces and plant
kamote, among other crops.
Secretary Domingo Panganiban,
head of the National Anti-Poverty Council, said poor families who
are experiencing a hard life in Metro Manila should consider going
back to the lands they once tilled in the provinces to plant crops
that are easy to grow like kamote (sweet potato), malunggay, sitaw
(string beans) and kangkong (swamp cabbage), so they can contribute
to local food production.
“When I talk with poor
communities, I tell them that going to [Metro] Manila to become
employees is not advisable, and that it’s better to be
self-employed [through farming] in the provinces,” Panganiban
said.
He visits up to four poor
communities every week for consultations and the monitoring of the
implementation of the government’s anti-poverty programs.
With the worldwide food crisis
affecting many countries abroad, Filipino farmers have an
opportunity to earn more and even be rich, the agency head said.
“Many migrants in Metro Manila
have lands in the provinces,” he added.
A 2,500-square meter land, or a
quarter of a hectare of land, can easily feed a family in the
provinces, and generate modest earnings to provide for basic
necessities, he said. On top of that, native chickens can be grown
in a small farm, Panganiban added.
“In a rain-fed land of 2,500
square meters [planted to crops mentioned earlier], a farmer can net
P500 to P600 per week.”
Also, those who learned a trade
in Metro Manila can offer their services in the provinces to add to
their farming income.
“For instance, those who
learned welding in Metro Manila can offer their services in the
provinces. Just imagine how many tricycles and vehicles need welding
services [in the provinces],” he said.
Power subsidy
Panganiban also said 180,000 poor
households in Metro Manila already received their P500 subsidy for
their electricity bills, and the project will be started this week
in poor provinces.
The government is targeting four
million poor households for the one-time P500 doleout.
The areas where the application
of the subsidy will be expanded are localities of Surigao del Sur,
Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Maguindanao,
Mountain Province, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and
Northern Samar.
Panganiban defended the P500
subsidy, saying it also has pump-priming benefits for the economy.
“If you take that money
[subsidy] abroad, that will not benefit [the domestic economy]. But
without money in their hands, people can’t buy goods,” he said.
Another anti-poverty measure
being undertaken by the government is the P5-billion Conditional
Cash Transfer program, where a household earning less than $1 per
day will be given P800 per month, and another P300 per month for
each child attending school with a 100-percent attendance. The
program can cover up to three children per family.
Panganiban said the poor families
will get the cash transfers until they become productive enough to
provide for their own basic needs. The cash-transfer program targets
about 144,000 poor households.
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