Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. committed to assist Victorias City’s agricultural programs during their meeting on Wednesday, January 3.
“I believe we are starting the year right by highlighting Victorias City’s commitment by tripling our local budget for agriculture,” Benitez said
Benitez said he discussed with Laurel innovative strategies for agricultural development and sustainable growth.
Laurel verbally committed to helping Victorias City and they will be sending letters to him to formalize the assistance, Benitez said.
“Generally we will be sending requests for irrigation, farm to market roads, fertilizers, and several machineries,” Benitez said.
The secretarty “gave us a tip that we should focus on high value crops and corn aside from rice,” Benitez said.
“Our collaboration will be a demo farm in Victorias as a showcase for the new fertilizers,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday Benitez led the turn-over of P5.565 million in equipment and vehicles to Victorias departments and partner-agencies during the first flag-raising ceremony for 2024 at the City Public Plaza on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
These included a new Mobile Gift Shop for the City Tourism Office to promote local tourism and goods, a multi-purpose vehicle for the Traffic Authority Office and PNP Victorias to enhance mobility, and two desktop units for Bahay Pag-Asa to support digital literacy and education.
The Abelardo Remedios Bantug Memorial Hospital also received 34 medical items to improve its operational readiness and healthcare services.*