True to its commitment of providing cash assistance to backyard raisers affected by African Swine Fever in exchange of culling their pigs as a measure to stop the spread of the animal disease to adjacent localities, the Department of Agriculture in Ilocos Region distributed a total of P445,000 to beneficiaries in Mapandan, Pangasinan on February 14, 2020 at the Office of the Municipal Mayor, Mapandan, Pangasinan.

Twenty-one backyard raisers led by Ms. Marietta Torralba, received from DA P5, 000 each of the 82 heads of hogs surrendered during the culling activity of the DA through the Regulatory Division sometime in September, 2019.

Mapandan Mayor, Anthony Penuliar, in his message during the cash distribution activity expressed his gratitude to the DA for helping ease the anxiety being felt by his constituents during the culling activity.

“Malaking kabawasan ang pagbibigay ng ayudang ito sa naramdamang hinagpis ng aking mga kababayan sa pagbaon ng kanilang mga baboy noong panahong pinilit nating kunin noong kasagsagsan ng ating problema sa ASF,” Mayor Penuliar said.

Ms. Torallba on her part expressed also gratitude to the DA for the aid she have received amounting to P60,000 as this would provide her and her family a capital to start-up a new livelihood activity to augment her income.

Meanwhile, giving updates on the status of the town in so far as ASF is concerned, Mayor Penuliar expressed high hopes that the disease is already contained in the municipality as there were no more reported incidence of ASF to the DA as of date.

Mapandan, Pangasinan is the first recipient of the cash assistance given by DA in Ilocos Region after having recorded the first case of ASF in the region.

Schedule of the distribution of the cash assistance in other ASF affected municipalities has been set this coming week of February.