FINANCIAL AID. Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao (left), assisted by Hamtic Municipal Agriculture Office Isidro Ramos (center), hands financial aid and rice to a hog grower whose livelihood is affected by the African swine fever during a distribution activity on Friday (June 30, 2023). The provincial government allocated PHP2 million in financial aid to swine raisers in Hamtic. (Photo courtesy of Antique-PIO)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Antique provincial government has allocated PHP2 million as financial aid to farmers in the municipality of Hamtic as their livelihood was affected by the African swine fever (ASF).
Michelle Bantolo, Social Welfare Officer 1 of the Antique Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, said in an interview Monday said that of the total allocation, a total of PHP667,000 were released to the first batch consisting of 232 hog raisers on June 30.
The recipients were based on the master list of ASF-affected farmers submitted by Hamtic Municipal Agriculture Officer Isidro Ramos.
The amount of assistance varies -- PHP2,000 for farmers with one to five hog mortalities, PHP3,000 for six to 19 swine deaths, and PHP4,000 for 20 and above.
Each farmer also received five kilos of rice.
“The financial aid could be used by the beneficiaries to start their other livelihood or for their daily needs,” Bantolo said.
This week, they target to release assistance to the second batch of 177 farmers.
Based on the July 2 report of the Hamtic Municipal Agriculture Office, 30 villages have recorded cases of ASF.
Total losses has reached PHP31.55 million involving 3,444 hog mortalities.
Meanwhile, Antique Liga ng mga Barangay president Pamela Socorro Azucena said in a separate interview that village officials are actively assisting in the implementation of barangay border checkpoints, especially in the towns of Hamtic and San Jose de Buenavista which have ASF cases.
“Barangay officials in other towns with no confirmed ASF cases are also conducting mobile information and education campaigns to make the people aware about the disease,” Azucena said. (PNA)
