Leaders of the town of La Libertad, Zamboanga del Norte, a landlocked municipality with a population of just about 8,000 and a poverty incidence of 46% arrived in Kidapawan City last night with just one purpose – to meet me.
Mayor Ricky R. Cuenca and Former Vice Mayor Dan Botalid, along with a 21-man delegation of local officials and barangay leaders arrived at the Suroyan sa Kidapawan at about 8 p.m. after a trip which took them almost 10 hours.
“Mangayo mi ug tabang sa imo para magiyahan mi unsaon namo pagpalambo ang among agrikultura kay pobre kaayo ang among lungsod ug louy ang katawhan,” Mayor Cuenco told me last night.
(We are asking for help from you so that we could be guided on how to improve our agriculture because our town is very poor and our people live in a pitiable condition.)
The plea came as a shock to me because I was earlier informed that the group just wanted to visit my farm where I raise chicken, goats and hogs and propagate EVIARC Sweet Jackfruit seedlings.
Since the farm was closed to visitors because of the outbreak of the Bird Flu in the neighboring town of Mlang, I asked them to meet me at the Suroyan sa Kidapawan where we have an outlet for Litson Manok Pinoy.
Mayor Cuenca, who is in his first term,, said he has been following my Agricultural Advocacies and believes that I could help him and his fellow officials in coming up with a sound agricultural plan.
With a land area of less than 7,000 hectares, La Libertad farmers grow coconuts, peanuts, pineapple and Corn but these crops have not improved their lives.
I told him and his fellow officials that I and my team have to visit the town and see the place up close so that we could make suggestions on how to proceed in improving agriculture and addressing rural poverty.
While this will be an added burden on me personally because of my commitments in Cebu and Maguindanao del Sur, I could not say No to Mayor Cuenca who appeared to be so determined in his quest to improve the lives of his people.
This is another mission that I will have to take, never mind the distance from where I am based, Kidapawan City and I dedicate this to the Lord.
I have always believed that “God’s Greatest Glory Is Man Fully Alive.”
