ILOILO — As rising fuel costs threaten to choke the steady inflow of vegetables from outside Western Visayas, the municipality of Alimodian is positioning itself as a critical local food source, assuring the region of a stable supply of high-value crops to cushion potential shortages.
The town’s agricultural backbone, particularly the upland cluster known as the “Seven Cities,” is being mobilized to meet any disruption in supply chains from Luzon and nearby Negros Island — areas that traditionally augment the region’s vegetable needs.
Alimodian’s municipal agriculturist Chyta Calibayan emphasized the town’s readiness to scale up distribution, citing consistent production from the mountainous barangays of Cabacanan Proper, Tabug, Uminggan, Dao, Lico, Manasa, and Cabacanan Rizal.
“If ever they need vegetables, just coordinate with us so we can facilitate,” she said.
The Seven Cities, where farming remains the primary livelihood, currently produce up to five tons of fresh vegetables weekly. These are regularly transported every Monday and Thursday to neighboring Leon town, Iloilo City, and the Bayanihan Tipon Center in the poblacion, with some traders delivering directly to the Iloilo Terminal Market.
“We have sufficient supply,” Calibayan said.
To further strengthen its capacity, the local government is expanding production beyond the highlands. Farmers in District 7 — covering Barangays Bugang, Bagsakan, Tarug, Gines, Malamhay, Tugaslon, and Malamboy-Bondolan — are being encouraged to grow high-value crops, with an additional output target of three tons weekly. This would bring Alimodian’s total supply capacity to as much as eight tons per week.
Calibayan noted that the town’s favorable climate allows year-round production, further supported by infrastructure such as two greenhouses provided by the Department of Agriculture.
With the country under a state of national energy emergency declared by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., local officials are also bracing for broader economic impacts.
Mayor Ian Kenneth Alfeche said the municipal government has already convened key offices to map out contingency measures, particularly in extending assistance to sectors most vulnerable to the fuel crisis.
He said that, depending on their budget, and in case the situation worsens, they will extend support to affected sectors, such as public utility vehicle drivers, farmers, small vendors, and indigent residents.
To safeguard consumers, the local government has activated its Local Price Coordinating Center to closely monitor commodity prices and ensure the steady flow of goods, while preventing hoarding.
With supply lines under pressure, Alimodian’s proactive push underscores a growing reliance on local production — transforming the town from a quiet agricultural hub into a frontline defender of food security in Western Visayas./PN
