PARACELIS, Mountain Province – A P62 million worth of Paracelis Corn Feed Mill is now being constructed in a sprawling 3.3 hectares of land which will house the corn dryer, warehouse for machine and storage, and open shade storage located at Butigue, Paracelis, Mountain Province.
This is in support to the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program of the Philippine government intervention in conflict- vulnerable areas to complement the peace negotiation efforts in line with its commitment to address the causes of conflict and issues affecting the peace progress, and it aims to facilitate economic growth, industry and employment of the local farmers especially in the eastern part of the province.
The total cost of the project from purchase of lot to its operation is estimated at P62,025,000.00.
It was gathered that P 30,000.00 was funded by PAMANA through the Department of Agriculture Regional Office for the construction of open shade storage(P5.5M), warehouse for machine and storage (P9.3M), purchase of vehicles, equipments and machineries (P6.2M), administrative cost (P 0.6M) and capitalization of first 50 corn farmers (P5.4M) including corn production loan (P3M).
For the provincial government of Mountain Province’s counterpart, a total of P 27,366,200.00 was earmarked for the land acquisition and improvement that include leveling and perimeter fencing (P10.17M), construction of administrative building (P12.4M), and capitalization counterpart (P0.9M) including personnel requirements of an estimated amount of P 3,658,813.00 for salaries and benefits employees for the first year of project operation.
On April 28, 2016, a team led by Provincial Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr. conducted an ocular inspection to monitor the progress of the on-going construction of the corn feed mill facility in sitio Sinigpit, Butigue, Paracelis.
The newly installed governor, in his message, during the short program, expressed his gratitude to the PAMANA through the Department of Agriculture team for granting the request of the officialdom of the province, and most especially to the barangay officials of Paracelis for supporting the projects.
While the corn feed facilities is owned and will be managed by the provincial government, Governor Lacwasan is optimistic that the project will soon help boost the economic enterprise of the eastern municipalities especially Paracelis, provide job opportunities to the locals, and minimized or eventually eliminate the entry of unscrupulous traders and middlemen that take advantage on the farmers.
He humbly solicited the support of all stakeholders for the realization of the project and pleaded that the responsibilities that the late governor left unto him should be the concern of everybody.
“Ti nangipabaklayan ni apo late Governor Mayaen nga responsibilidad ket haan lang nga kanyak no di ket kadatayo amin,” he said.
According to Provincial Administrator, Mr. Johnny V. Lausan and DA-PAMANA focal person, Ms. Asuncion N. Mendoza, Paracelis Corn Feed Mill is the pet project of the late Governor Leonard G. Mayaen, who died due to cardiac arrest on March 31, 2016 on the eve of Lang-ay Festival celebration in Mountain Province.
It was conceptualized during one of the former governor’s visits some four years ago to the locality where he learned that the corn farmers’ livelihood was very vulnerable to season, capitalists manipulations and distance to the nearest corn feed mill. Corn production in Paracelis have been controlled by capitalists who shoulder the financial aspect of the work from the planting season to the time when the corn produce are brought to the mills in Santiago City, Isabela.
Meanwhile, an information and education campaign (IEC) of the provincial government on taxation, health and sanitation, and responsible child care were done simultaneously on April 27, 2017 in a separate venue held at Poblacion, Paracelis, Mountain Province.
Participants were the barangay captains and treasurers of the municipalities of Natonin and Paracelis for the IEC on taxation, barangay health workers (BHWs) and barangay day care workers for health and child care respectively.
In view of the transition period of governance at the provincial government, Governor Lacwasan said that he will continue the programs of his predecessor especially for the development of the barangays considering his pro-barangay legislations and advocacies at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and that his political career started as a barangay official. He added that the increase of the provincial aid to barangay, BHWs and day care workers’ incentives for CY 2016 shall be institutionalized for the next term to ensure the sustainability of the program. By Alfred F. Macalling
