TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Sixteen farmer organizations in the province received farm machineries worth 20.5M pesos from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization in a turn over ceremony recently at the Provincial Capitol.
Recipients received farm implements ranging from Walk behind Transplanter, Rice Combine Harvester, and Hand Tractor which were funded under the DA’s Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund Mechanization Program designed to improve the competitiveness of Filipino rice farmers by reducing the cost of production.
Bulk of the beneficiaries are Tabuk-based organizations that include PUR Credit Cooperative, Tanggal SWIP small impounding dam association inc., Pagsayaatan Credit Cooperative, Bulanao Multipurpose Cooperative,Marapi-Abaggoy Credit Cooperative, Sagpat Farmers Association, Cabaruan Multipurpose Cooperative, Holy Trinity Cathedral Multipurpose Cooperative. Other recipients are the Balatoc Rice Terraces Farmers Association, Gumawisan Mapaco Farmers Association, Cawagayan Farmers Association, Green Hills Stewards and Farmers Association, Kapapayaan Liwan West Farmers Irrigators Association, San Pedro Agricultural Cooperative, and Mannalon Ti Babalag West Farmers Association, and Macutay Sadiri Farmers Credit Cooperative.
Governor James S. Edduba in his message delivered by Provincial Legal Officer John Paul Baguiwan said that the mechanization program has done wonders for the farmers in the province as it empowers local farmers to embrace mechanized farming to reduce the cost of production and increase their yield.
Danilo Daguio, Regional Technical Director of the DA-CAR implored the recipients to observe proper maintenance of the machineries given to them. He also advised them to maintain the status of their organization and the cohesiveness of members to continue availing of the programs of the RCEF.
According to Jarrel S. Oting of PhilMech, since the start of the implementation of the mechanization program in 2019 up to 2022, PhilMech has distributed a total of 122 farm implements amounting to 84.5M pesos to 42 farmers cooperatives and associations in Kalinga.
Henry Gupaal, representing Mayor Darwin C. Estranero said that as Tabuk City face the challenge of urbanization with farm lands being converted to residential use, the machineries are great incentive for the farmers to maintain the productivity of their farms and expand the area of agriculture in the city.
