The Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed more than P100 million worth of farm machinery and equipment to farmers and fisherfolk in five provinces of Western Visayas during a turnover ceremony on Wednesday, July 15.
The turnover was led by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Iloilo Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr., National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Larry R. Lacson, Ph.D., and DA-6 Regional Executive Director Dennis R. Arpia.
The assistance aims to accelerate farm mechanization, improve post-harvest operations, reduce production losses, and enhance the productivity and income of farmers and fisherfolk across the region.
According to PDMN Irrigators Association President Thelma Estocada, who received one unit of rice combine harvester, the assistance will greatly support land preparation and post-harvest activities essential to farmers.
“Napalaki pong benepisyo ang natanggap ng association dahil ito po ay makakatulong sa aming land preparation at saka sa post-harvest na kailangang-kailangan ng mga magsasaka,” he noted.
Of the total assistance, Capiz received P47 million, followed by Iloilo with P36.1 million, Aklan with P8.3 million, Antique with P6.2 million, and Guimaras with P3 million.
Among the equipment distributed by the agency were corn mills, combine harvesters, delivery vans, hauling trucks, forage choppers, 4WD tractors, recirculating dryers, tractors, water pumps, and shredders.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources gave out as well five 20-footer fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) boats complete with marine engines and underwater fittings to selected fisherfolks of Banate.
Junius Bacos, one of the fisherfolk-beneficiaries, said the government-provided fiber boats with complete engines spared fisherfolk from spending their own money, allowing them to continue fishing without shouldering the cost of new equipment.
“Ang muni ho, lima ni ka unit nga fiber boat with engine kag kompleto na, ma-assemble ka na lang. Tungod may amo na kami sini, indi na kami magprovide sang kapital nga halin sa bulsa namon [kay] may aide na nga nakuha kami halin sa gobyerno,” he said.
Meanwhile, 13 shellfish growers from Dumangas were provided with an oyster culture project under the government’s livelihood assistance program.
The distribution coincided with the inauguration of the Modernized Rice Processing Center in Barangay PD Monfort South, Dumangas, highlighting the government’s continuing efforts to modernize agriculture, strengthen the fisheries sector, and improve food production systems across Western Visayas.Jose Alphonso Ceria, WVSU-COC intern /IMT
