DA establishes 35 barangay bagsakans in CAR

by Joseph B Zambrano

Lagawe, Ifugao (28 November) — The Department of Agriculture in the region has so far built 35 barangay bagsakans (Kantina) in the Cordillera which aims to make trading more accessible, and lessen post harvest and transport losses.

DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cesar Rodriguez said basic food commodities like rice, meat, fish, vegetable, sugar, salt and noodles and other basic household necessities like soap are also available in the kantina.

Rodriguez said this is one of the programs of the government to help solve hunger, alleviate poverty and address malnutrition problem in the countryside. “A cooler and refrigerator are provided in each kantina to maintain the freshness of the produce, a grinder to process food products, a weighing scale and rice dispenser,” Rodriguez added.

He said those who want to avail of the kantina can be provided a cash grant of P100,000 to P200,000 but they need to submit a project proposal to the Department of Agriculture for evaluation and validation. This will also be subject to regular audit procedures.

Rodriguez explained that applicants must be an association with three years of good standing record, endorsed either by the barangay captain, mayor or the governor.

Meanwhile, the DA is also willing to help finance the establishment of a bagsakan center (trading post) by providing a cash grant from P500,000 to P 2 million. However, this has to be in partnership with a local government unit whose counterpart should be provision of a lot and labor in putting up the trading post through their Priority Investment Plan (PIP).

Rodriguez added that the DA-CAR obligated an amount of P 2million to the province of Benguet as part of its cold chain operations. (PIA-CAR)