PCA distributes chainsaws in Eastern Samar

The Philippine Coconut Authority in Eastern Visayas is currently lending chainsaws to be used for the current clearing operations in several municipalities of Eastern Samar devastated by typhoon Yolanda. PCA Manager Edilberto Nierva who was in Eastern Samar on December 3 said the chainsaws will be immediately used to cut felled trees barring free passage of relief operations.

Those suitable will be processed into timber for use in the construction of shelters for families made homeless by the typhoon. Each operator will be paid 300.00 pesos a day as part of PCA's cash for work program, Manager Nierva said. Aside from this, Manager Nierva said that the PCA has other inventions like making available coconut seedlings for the farmers whose coconut trees were devastated by typhoon Yolanda.

Moreover, the PCA will also give seeds and seedlings that when farmers grow these crops between rows of coconut trees, they are able to sell them for extra cash. PCA advised coconut farmers to practice intercropping so that they will have something to harvest for food within five to seven years, before the coconut trees will bear fruit.
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Around 2.5 million coconut trees were damaged by typhoon "Yolanda" in the provinces of Eastern Samar and Leyte, according to the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).