The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization held its major machinery distribution under the RCEF Mechanization Program to qualified farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in the province of Leyte.
Around 358 machinery worth Php439.8 M were distributed to 131 rice-based FCAs. These farm machines include Four Wheel Tractor, Hand Tractor, Floating Tiller, PTO Driven Disc Plow/Harrow, Precision Rice Seeder, Walk-behind Type Rice Transplanter, Riding Type Rice Transplanter, Rice Reaper, Rice Combine Harvester, Recirculating Dryer, Single Pass Rice Mill, and Destoner.
It is expected to benefit around 20, 436 Waray farmer-members coming from the municipalities of 38 munipalities and cities of Leyte including Alangalang, Palo, Babatngon, Tanauan, Sta. Fe, San Miguel, Tacloban City, Tolosa, Burauen, Dagami, Dulag, Julita, Mayorga, Pastrana, Tabontabon, Barugo, Capoocan, Carigara, Jaro, La Paz, MacArthur, Leyte, San Isidro, Tabango, Villaba, Ormoc City, Matag-ob, Kananga, Merida, Palompon, Abuyog, Baybay City, Javier, Hindang, Bato, Hilongos, Inopacan, and Matalom.
Ormoc City Mayor RICHARD I. GOMEZ, being the host city of the said ceremony, expressed his gratitude to PHilMech and the Department of Agriculture for their efforts to help boost rice mechanization in the province.
Meanwhile, PHilMech Deputy Director Ronaldo Sebastian R. Reyes who represented PHilMech Director Baldwin G. Jallorina, assured the Waray farmers of the relentless efforts of the agency to ensure that the machinery distribution will continue despite the pandemic.
“Asahan ninyong hindi kami titigil, kahit pa sa kabila ng banta ng CoVid-19, na ipamahagi ang mga ito upang patuloy nating makita ang mga ngiti sa mukha ng mga magsasaka at maihatid ang pag-asa tungo sa maunlad at competitive na pagsasaka,” Director Reyes said.
These machines were procured under the 2021 funds and the excess from the competitive biddings of the 2019 and 2020 funds.
Article by Jett Molech G. Subaba