The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech), an attached-agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), granted machinery and postharvest facilities to farmers and the Tarlac government.

According to PHilMech, P79 million worth of farm and harvest pieces of equipment were given to Qualified farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and local government units (LGUs) as part of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) – Mechanization Program.

The rice fund is under the Rice Tariffication Law which ensures food security and allows the local produce to compete in the global market.

The distribution ceremony was held on Jan. 12 at the provincial capitol of Tarlac.

PHilMech reported that around 40 FCA and LGU beneficiaries received two units of hand tractors, 22 units of four-wheel-drive tractors, three units of walk-behind transplanters, six units of riding-type transplanters, three units of precision seeders, 11 units of rice combine harvesters, and one unit of a single-pass rice mill.

Dionisio G. Alvindia, a director of the DA’s mechanization arm, encouraged the awardees to care for the granted machines and equipment.

The RCEF program was implemented in 2019 and has awarded more than P400 million worth of types of machinery to farmers.

Since then, 431 units of different agricultural and postharvest facilities have been given to 218 FCA and LGU beneficiaries in Tarlac. (Manila Bulletin, Gabriell Christel Galang, January 13, 2024)