Benguet farmers send truckload of vegs to Taal victims

By Hanah Tabios

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The spirit of “bayanihan” pours across the country as Igorot farmers from Benguet sent a truckload of vegetables to Taal victims as relief assistance.

Benguet farmers offered sacks of vegetables to victims reeling from eruption of Taal Volcano.

Just recently, they suffered major losses due to low price of vegetables. The season is also challenging for them due to frostbites but it did not hinder them from helping the disaster victims

In a Facebook post by the La Trinidad Municipal Police Stations (MPS), local farmers were said to be loading tons of assorted vegetables bound for disaster-hit province Batangas.

The accompanying message reads: “Gulay para sa mga kapatid na taga-Batangas. Salamat sa mga magsasaka dito sa Benguet. Ang inyong mga donasyong gulay ay makaka-abot sa Batangas. Ang mga busilak niyong puso para tumulong sa mga biktima ng ash fall ni Bulkang Taal. Alam namin na mahirap magtanim ng gulay at tamaan pa ng mababang presyo pero di kayo nagdalawang isip magbigay.”

(Vegetables for our brothers and sisters in Batangas, thanks to the farmers in Benguet. Your donated vegetables will reach Batangas. Your hearts are pure for helping the victims of Taal Volcano’s ash fall. We know it is hard to plant vegetables coupled with low prices but you did not hesitate to give.)

It will be recalled that Benguet farmers recently suffered major losses due to oversupply which prompted them to sell their produce at very low prices.

During this period, frostbite also damaged their crops, particularly in the highland areas of the province.