In line with the Valentine’s Day celebration, the Department of Agriculture launches “Malasakit Help Desk”. It aims to assist farmers and fishermen

Specifically, according to the Facebook post of DA Secretary Manny Piñol, “starting Feb. 14, every office under the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies will have GROs or Grassroots Relations Officers to assist farmers and fishermen seeking assistance from government”.

As cited in the report of DA,” the Malasakit Help Desk will serve as an integrated window for selected services of the DA, including its bureaus, attached agencies and corporations”. Respectively, this also complements the Public Assistance Center located in all DA offices as required by Republic Act 9485 otherwise known as the “Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.”

What benefits do the farmers and fishermen can obtain?

Malasakit Help Desk has services including  access to agri-fishery information and data, including those involving registration and accreditation; agri profiling and validation; access to credit facilities, crop insurance, scholarships, trainings and seminars, and employment.

Apart from these services, this will be beneficial not just for farmers and fisherfolk, this is also beneficial for stakeholders. Through Malasakit Help Desk, in the agriculture sector can easily avail of the services offered by the Department.

Significantly, the said initiative by DA is in line with its goal in to promote agricultural development and inclusive growth.

The report also stated that “It is also supportive of the commitment of President Rodrigo Duterte to hasten the delivery of assistance to the farming and fishing communities and his aspirations for a ‘Matatag, Maginhawa, at Panatag na Buhay'”.

What is Grassroot Relations Officer (GRO)?

The following are expected responsibilities of GROs:

The GROs will be assigned at the entrance of all offices and will be tasked to interview visiting farmers and fishermen to determine what services they need from government.

The concerned offices and departments will then be informed of the needs of the farmers and fishermen through referral forms prepared by the GROs.

There will be receiving areas complete with coffee dispensers and reading materials while the farmers and fishermen await action on their requests.

With the new initiative offered by DA, the voices of the unheard of farmers and fishermen can be heard by the government in order to increase productivity. Thus, this can also develop their market information and income.

Sources:

DA to speed up delivery of services with ‘Malasakit Help Desk’

GRASSROOTS RELATIONS OFFICER TO ASSIST FARMERS, FISHERMEN