Blanketing rekindles bayanihan The Rice farmers in Cantilan town in Surigao del Sur have found an opportunity to earn extra income amid the challenges brought by the pandemic. The local government unit (LGU) of Cantilan offered its farmers P7.50 per rat-tail under its program Oplan Rat Blanketing in a bid to contain rat infestation that affects rice areas in the town.
campaign has been implemented since 2016 during the land preparation and Cantilan has a total rice harvesting season. area of 1,800 hectares For this year, the LGUcultivated by 3,833 Cantilan allotted farmers. P100,000 in their fight to save their crops from “Digging, flooding, the ravages of the and trapping are the common approaches for high rat population. Aside from the reward rat control in rice fields system, farmers received but these measures are P100,000 worth of not enough. Instead, rodenticides for free. actions should be coordinated through an “The campaign aims to rekindle the ‘bayanihan’ effective, communityspirit among the farmers based management strategy,” said Municipal with the collective action this will lead to reducing Agriculturist Caesar the losses brought by Blanco. rat infestation,” Blanco added. The community rat
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| July 10-16, 2021
The program encourages the participation of the 46 farmers’ associations and cooperatives in the municipality. Among those who stood out is the Tigabong Farmer Association. They submitted 2,552 rat tails with an equivalent amount of P19,140. Alberto A. Ortega, president of the association, said he and the members search the field for rats usually at night time. “Rats like to hide and burrow in weedy areas near major irrigation canals, so we know where to find them. The Caraga INFOCUS
