PARACELIS, Mountain Province – Corn farmers in the easternmost town of the province are guaranteed with a better price for their produce when the Corn Feed Mill in Barangay Butigue becomes fully operational.
Last August 23, Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. went on an ocular inspection of the said facility to monitor the progress of its construction.
In the visit, the chief executive cited the difficulty of the corn farmers in milling their produce due to the distance of Paracelis to Isabela or Bulacan where milling areas are located.
“With the completion of our own Corn Feed Mill Facility, our farmers will have better chances of improving their conditions. This will ease their hardship in bringing their corn produce to Isabela for processing or being bought at low prices by corn buyers who come to the place to buy the raw corn products,” the governor said.
The Corn Feed Mill Facility is expected to boost the economic development of the western municipalities, including the neighboring towns in Ifugao, and provide job opportunities to the residents. It will house a corn hub dryer and a corn hub mill and it will also be utilized as a local economic enterprise.
The on-going construction of the building and facility on a 3.3-hectare land in barangay Butigue is jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture and the provincial government of Mountain Province, which will operate the facility. The project supports the Payapa sa Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program.
As of press time, the construction of the open shade and the storage warehouse are already done and the machines are already in place. On-going is the fabrication of the milling machine, the construction of an administrative building, further improvements in the perimeter fence and other enhancements of the area. The ongoing construction is being monitored by the DA regional office and by the provincial government.
It will be recalled that the Paracelis Corn Feed Mill is a priority project conceptualized by the late Governor Leonard G. Mayaen who anticipated the economic potential of the town and the need to put up the project to ease the economic condition of his constituents.
Meanwhile, about 59 calamity victims from the place received financial assistance from the provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office. Governor Lacwasan and Paracelis Mayor Avelino C. Amangyen spearheaded the distribution of the financial aid to the victims of typhoon Lawin with partially damaged houses and with damages on agriculture.
In attendance during the distribution of financial aid were District 1 Board Members Stephen V. Afuyog, Cariño S. Tamang and Raul M. Lapon.
Also joining the governor was Provincial Veterinary Officer Rogelio B. Bagawi who made a direct inspection and assessment of the livestock and poultry situation in the place.
By Erwin S. Batnag
