LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Benguet Farmers Federation of Irrigators’ Association (BFFIA) will continue to supply vegetables and fruits to the jails in Baguio City and Benguet after it renewed its marketing agreement with the Cordillera office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP-CAR) at the NIA Cordillera Farmers Training Center in Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet on October 7, 2022.
Eight BJMP jails represented by their wardens signed the agreement with the BFFIA-Baguio City Jail-male and female dorms, Buguias District Jail, Itogon Municipal Jail, La Trinidad District Jail-male and female dorms, La Trinidad Municipal Jail, and Tuba Municipal Jail.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for making BJMP-CAR one of the mediums in expanding the markets of our beneficiaries [farmers] in exchange of guaranteed fresh products which will be beneficial also to our persons deprived of liberty at a reasonable price… BJMP-CAR, through our jail wardens, in the Province of Benguet and the City of Baguio, work with you in ways that we could be of assistance.”, said JSSupt Roland Lee Ng Cael, DSC Regional Director of the BJMP-CAR as delivered by JCInsp April Rose Ayangwa, EPAHP Focal Person.
The vegetables/fruits procured from the farmers’ group shall be utilized for the meal requirements of the persons deprived of liberty (PDL). According to Ayangwa, the budget for the vegetables shall come from the prisoner’s subsistence allowance which is set at P70 per PDL per day.
“Agyaman kami iti tulong yu nga mangidispose ti mula mi. Dakkel nga tulong daytoy kanyami nga farmers, ken kanyami nga farmers matulungan tayo dagiti kakadwa dita baludan,” [We thank you for your assistance in helping us market our produce. This is a big help to us farmers, and we can also be of help to our brothers and sisters at the jails.] said Domingo Awas, president of the Benguet Farmers Federation of Irrigators’ Associations (BFFIA)
The signing of the agreement was witnessed by Engr. Godofredo Velaque, NIA-Benguet Provincial Head, and JCInsp. April Rose Ayangwa, EPAHP Focal Person of BJMP-CAR.
Started in 2021, the agreement is in line with the program Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) of the national government with the goal to mitigate hunger, ensure food and nutrition security, and reduce poverty in the urban and rural communities.
