LINGAYEN, Pangasinan March 31 – “Deep in my heart, I am so concerned with the welfare of our farmers and our fishermen, I know how you feel and I know how it is to be a farmer, because I am a farmer like you,” Gov. Espino said during the Pangasinan Federation of Irrigator’s Association (PFIA) Congress and election of officers held at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center recently.
Addressing over 200 heads of the various irrigators’ associations in the province, Gov. Espino vowed that the provincial government shall continue to provide support to the PFIA as he disclosed that some 30, 000 bags of hybrid feeds from DA are set to be distributed to the farmers aside from the certified seeds to be given free and the organic and chemical fertilizer program this planting season.
After administering the oath of office of the new set of officers of the Pangasinan Federation of Irrigator’s Association (PFIA) headed anew by its three-time president Oftociano Manalo, the governor urged members of the Pangasinan Federation of Irrigators’ Association (PFIA) to keep up with the new and modern farming technologies being taught by the Department of Agriculture to attain more progress in agriculture as he stressed that this is one of the main concerns of development in Pangasinan alongside tourism.
Meanwhile in the same event, Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. congratulated the Pangasinan farmers for their contribution in increasing rice production in the province.
He expressed his pride over the recent achievement of the province, garnering for the third time the Rice Achievement Award which was recently conferred by the Department of Agriculture to Pangasinan, as he encouraged them to engage in other agricultural activities such as livestock industry to make Pangasinan attain self-sufficiency.
He, however, asked officials of the National Irrigation Administration to follow up the implementation of the second phase of the San Roque Irrigation Project as he lamented that irrigation has been a cause of problem for farmers.
On his part, Manalo thanked Gov. Espino for the all-out support he has extended to the farmers’ federation.
The re-elected federation president said the various assistance that the farmers received, greatly contributed to the success in the programs and projects that PFIA have implemented.
Manalo attributes their success to the provision of 500 water pumps, sprayers and certified seeds from the provincial government that benefitted the farmers to achieve their farming goals.
