Isabela, the second highest rice-producing province in the country, received 213 units of various farm machinery worth Php306.2M under the RCEF Mechanization Program during the machinery distribution held on October 25 in Ilagan, Isabela.
Around 26,520 rice farmers who are members of the 170 qualified farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in the province is expected to benefit from the machinery grant under the program.
Machinery grant includes 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 Combine Harvester, Rice Thresher, Recirculating Dryer, Mobile Rice Mill, Multi-Stage Rice Mill and Destoner.
PHilMech Director Dr. Baldwin G. Jallorina, urged the FCAs to take care of the machinery they received and share the grant to other farmers so they can also experience the benefits of mechanization.
Isabela Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III hopes that every farmer group in the province will benefit from the program and become the highest rice producing province in the country in the coming days. He also lauded the efforts of Director Jallorina and PHilMech in implementing the program.
Meanwhile DA-RFO 2 Regional Executive Director Narciso A. Edillo conveyed Usec. Arnel T. Cayanan’s message to the farmers of Isabela.
“Kinikilala po ng kagawaran ang inyong di-matatawarang kontribusyon at hindi matitinag na pagsisikap na mapakain ang ating bansa maging sa harap ng pandemya,” Director Edillo said.
These are funded under the 2021 funds and the excess funds from the 2019 and 2020 competitive biddings.
At least 34 Municipalities and three cities benefitted from this recent distribution namely, Delfin Albano, Ilagan City, San Pablo, Tumauini, Sta Maria, Benito Soliven, Gamu, Naguilian, San Mariano, Alicia, Cabatuan, Ramon, San Mateo, Cordon, Jones, Santiago City, Aurora, Burgos, Luna, Quezon, Roxas, San Manuel, Angadanan, Cauayan City, Echague, San Isidro, Quirino, Cabagan, Sto. Tomas, Divilacan, Maconacon, Reina Mercedes, Palanan, Dinapigue, San Agustin, Mallig, and San Guillermo.
Article by Jett Molech G. Subaba