CAPITOL NEWS

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Governor Amado I. Espino, III along with regional officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) awarded on July 26 some 17 sets of farm mechanization facilities amounting to P17-million to 17 organized farmer groups.

The farm-mechanization facilities are part of the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) funded through World Bank with counterpart funds from the Provincial Government of Pangasinan and Department of Agriculture at 20 percent each.

The 17 farm machineries were the third batch of distributed farm mechanization facilities to beneficiaries. The first two batches were made up of five machineries bringing to a total of 22 brand new tractors that were already distributed to farmer groups in the province.

The funding of each set of the P1-million worth of farm equipment, made up of 35-hp tractors, trailers, cage roller and rotarator, is shared by the World Bank (P800,00), LGU-Pangasinan (P200,00) and DA (P200,000).

The recipients which are mostly Multi-Purpose Cooperatives (MPCs) include: Raniag Mantacdang MPC (San Quintin), St. Paschal Baylon MPC (San Quintin), Maresma MPC (Balungao) Capulaan MPC (Villasis), Saranay Agrarian Reform Cooperative (Natividad), Laguit Padill MPC (Bugallon), Lambayan MPC (Mapandan), Aramal Tocok FFF MPC (San Fabian), Nayon Credit Cooperative (Umingan), Catablan ARC Credit Cooperative (Urdaneta City), Bayanihan Hundred Islands ARC (Alaminos City), Southern Binmaley MPB (Binmaley), Centro Toma-Colayo Farmers MPC (Bani), Catuday AR Cooperative (Bolinao), Atlas Mabuna MPC (Malasiqui), Tay-ak Marketing Cooperative (Umingan), and Mapolopolo ARC (Basista).

Five farmer cooperatives which earlier received the grants were Women’s Unity for Progress and Farmers Association (Mapandan), and four other San Fabian-based organizations namely: Anonang Baraoas Irrigators’ Association, Makabagong Magsasaka Irrigators’ Association, Palapad Farmers Irrigators Association, and Samaka Magbayanihan Farmers Irrigators Association.

Recognizing the contribution of farmers for food security of the province, Governor Espino vowed to sustain his agricultural development programs, stressing that he is keen on ‘doubling up or surpassing’ the allocated budget for agriculture next year.

He also vowed to maximize opportunities to lobby from the provincial government subsidy for the implementation of more irrigation projects and other farm modernization programs in the province.

Also leading the distribution of farming mechanization facilities were Director Narciso Edillo of DA-Regional Office 1, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member and committee chairperson on Agriculture Liberato Villegas and Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya.

Meanwhile, Governor Espino led the massive distribution of 9,200 trees seedlings to elementary and high schools, goat raiser’s associations, irrigators’ and farmers’ associations, and barangay councils from Urdaneta City, San Fabian. Manaoag, Calasiao, Mangaldan, San Jacinto, San Carlos City and Sta. Barbara. /Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca

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