The vehicles purchased through the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Enterprise Development (I-REAP) component in CALABARZON region are being used to transport their agricultural produce and other relief goods to support their respective communities during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) brought about by COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are very fortunate that our proponent groups stand-up for their communities. The vehicles are being well utilized not only for an entrepreneurial purpose but also for a humanitarian cause. These vehicles not only benefitted the members of the cooperatives and associations, but more importantly, those who received the relief goods and services, such as free transportation for residents and workers within their communities, provided during ECQ,” Business Development Officer Juneliza Pandela of PRDP CALABARZON said.

The Samahan ng Mangingisda at Magsi-Seaweeds sa Brgy. Villa San Isidro allowed the local government unit (LGU) of Calauag, Quezon to use their hauling trucks to help in the distribution of the relief goods to its various barangays. This truck was purchased for their seaweed enterprise.

The vehicle was used five times to provide relief goods to 122 households from three barangays in Calauag. These goods came from the group itself, barangay, and municipal and provincial governments of Quezon.

Aside from land-based vehicles, other proponent groups allowed their boats to be used during ECQ. In particular, the Yakap and Halik Multipurpose Cooperative Quezon II in Padre Burgos, Quezon used its boat to transport relief goods to families that are hard to reach by land. This vehicle was purchased for their grouper production enterprise.

A total of 1,560 households from Padre Burgos were provided with relief goods from the cooperative and its partner non-government organization, Peace and Equity Foundation.

With the extension of ECQ for a full-two months in CALABARZON, the proponent groups and LGUs will still continue to use these vehicles to provide relief and assistance to their communities. ### (Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)

This truck of the Samahan ng Mangingisda at Magsi-seaweeds ng Brgy. Villa San Isidro of Calauag,Quezon has been lent to the local government to deliver relief goods to their different barangays.

PRDP proponent groups in CALABARZON region show their care and humanity during the Enhanced Community Quarantine due to COVID-19 pandemic.