Caught off-guard as the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was imposed last March, members of the Mankayan Young Farmers Organization (MYFO), a Proponent Group (PG) of the DA-PRDP-funded enterprise subproject on Potato Production under Greenhouse Condition sold more than seven tons of their vegetable produce at P10.00 a kilo in support to the “Sampung Piso para sa Farmer” program.

Benguet Vice Governor Johnny Waguis said that the “Sampung Piso para sa Farmer” is a program of the Benguet provincial government. It is implemented in partnership with the Movement for Farmers Civic Action Group. To provide assistance to farmers, the Provincial government buys vegetable with very low price or have not been bought at the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post (LTVTP) or the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) at P10.00 per kilo and will be distributed as part of relief packages.

“Idi na-impose daytoy quarantine ket pila idjay trading center ket idi nangeg mi maipanggep idjay nga programa ket idjay min nga inyeg sakbay pay nga madadael dagiti nateng (the line at the trading center was long when the quarantine was imposed. When we heard about the program, we decided to bring it there before the vegetables will be spoiled),” said Jovito Banglud, MYFO President.

He also said that the vegetables they brought to the cold chain facility in Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet where the project is operating, were consolidated from the members of the MYFO.

“Dijay daduma nga naharvest ti kakadwa ket in-consolidate mi metlang ket inyeg mi idjay munisipyo mi nga libre nga naiwaras kadagiti kakailyan ditoy Mankayan (The vegetable harvests of our fellow members were also consolidated and brought to the municipal hall of Mankayan for free and were distributed to the different barangays), Banglud added.

Meanwhile, a greenhouse structure was established for the MYFO for their micro-enterprise subproject on potato production.

However, since the procurement of the potato mother plant is ongoing but currently on hold due to the ECQ, they have been producing Chinese cabbage, potato, bell pepper and other vegetables after the establishment and completion of the greenhouse.

The MYFO will continue to produce other highland vegetables while waiting for the delivery of the potato mother plants that will jumpstart their micro-enterprise on the production of potato tubers. The enterprise when fully operational will aid potato growers not only in Mankayan and nearby municipalities. ### (ELVY S. TAQUIO, RPCO-CAR InfoACE Unit)