By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

DEPARMENT of Land and Natural Resources Secretary Ignacio Dela Cruz says the U.S. Department of Agriculture is sending laptop and desktop computers to CNMI students.
Dela Cruz, in an interview yesterday, said the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Service recently informed the CNMI government about the computers.
He said Gov. Benigno R. Fitial is grateful to the federal government, and has tapped him and the governor’s special assistant for education, Dan Nielsen, to coordinate with the USDA.
Dela Cruz said the governor asked him and Nielsen during yesterday’s cabinet meeting to let the USDA know that the administration appreciates the department’s generosity.
Dela Cruz did not provide additional details on the computers or their recipients here, but did disclose that he himself was provided by USDA with a laptop.
He said the department told him to send the computer back as it will be replaced with a better one.
Since DLNR constantly works with the USDA, Dela Cruz said, the federal department usually provides them with “necessary equipment,” like computers.
He said they are expecting to receive the computers for the CNMI students in a few weeks.