Saksak Program: Only 29 of 51 LGUs active; return of P200T fund eyed

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office chief Marivic Garces reported that as of April this year, only 29 local government units out of 51 were found to have actively implemented the Sinanduloy sa Kabusog, Sinanduloy sa Kahimsog (Saksak) program of the provincial government.

However, some towns included on the list of LGUs which allegedly failed to implement the program denied the report. To which, Garces said, may have been because their respective local social welfare officer did not submit the required report on time.

Garces reminded town officials of the earlier announcement that every municipality should give a report of any development in their respective areas regarding the program.

Nevertheless, an updated report will be presented in the next meeting of the development council.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is giving all LGUs in Cebu 30 days to implement the program on the distribution of NFA rice and sweet potatoes meant to “help the poorest of the poor cope with the rice crisis.”

Garcia warned she will make true her earlier announcement that she will get back the financial assistance worth P200,000 she released for the program should towns fail in implementing Saksak.

“It was never a joke. You have probably read in the newspapers that LGUs will have to return the P200,000 if they fail to implement Saksak because the fund is just sleeping in the bank; bangko ray malipay ana,” the governor said during the  Provincial Development Council meeting at the Capitol.

“I’m challenging your creativity, perseverance and business acumen (in handling the money),” she added.

As for Carcar Mayor Patrick Barcenas, he cited that prices of sweet potatoes or kamote have shot up since the program was launched. This is the reason why they have been distributing rice only instead of the planned distribution of kamote alongside the staple.

But the lady governor argued that “local leaders should not allow the situation to control them.”

“I will not accept that excuse nga mahal ang kamote; let’s be pro-active,” she said, adding that idle lands should be planted with sweet potatoes.

Cebu second district Rep. Pablo Garcia, for his part, also said that local officials should encourage farmers to plant more kamote. This way, Cebu would be able to supply the entire Central Visayas with the root crop.

Some mayors had reportedly expressed they would rather distribute corn than kamote, but the province has no control over the distribution of corn.

Rep. Garcia pointed out that it is “actually more productive to plant kamote than corn” as one hectare of kamote would produce around 15 tons of the said root crop, compared to corn wherein one hectare would only produce an estimated 1.6 tons. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/MEEV