Tobacco excise tax improved production – Cojuangco
Cojuangco’s Initiative
NEW EQUIPMENT FOR FARMERS
FUNDS from tobacco excise tax were used to purchase farm machineries and equipment further boosting the agricultural production in Pangasinan.
Fifth district Pangasinan towns that produce tobacco, namely Alcala, Sto. Tomas, Laoac and Sison, and some towns in the fourth district like San Fabian, received their share from the tobacco excise tax in 2011, as provided by Republic Act 8240 or the National Internal Revenue Code.
The local government units received their funds through monetization program, enabling them to avail of their shares in advance from the trustee banks.
COJUANGCO
Recall that it was former 5th District Rep. Mark Cojuangco who led the formulation of the implementing rules and regulations of the program before he served his last and third term in Congress in 2010.
The advance funding mechanism enabled the different towns to implement different agricultural programs without delay.
Villasis received five tractors, a mechanical fiber, 20 units Kubota mini tractors, two forward trucks, one payloader, one backhoe and one grader. A warehouse and palay drying facilities and a livehood and skills training center and tobacco curing farm were also established.
Alcala on the other hand, received five tractors, one mech fiber, corn and palay warehouse and drying facilities while Sto. Tomas town received two units John Deere tractors, a mech fiber. Sison town received five tractors.
These first sets of farm equipment and facilities were turned over to the towns in 2011 by Cojuangco who represented his wife Rep. Kimi Cojuangco.
The John Deere tractors is part of the farm mechanization program of the recipient-towns.
Based on agreed mechanics, the farmers will use the farm tractors on rotation basis. They will shoulder the costs of maintenance and fuel, and wages of the operators.
The mech fiber serves as a mixer of sillage for the feeds of cows. Villasis, Alcala and Sto. Tomas will have their own dairy farm, an extension of the dairy farm of Laoac.
Cojuangco said during the turn over: “These equipment are yours. Ito ay makakatulong sa inyo upang tumaas ang antas ng inyong mga produkto at tumaas din ang inyong kita sa pagsasaka.”
“The palay mechanical dryers can dry more or less 400 tons of palay daily. These will improve the quality of rice to be produced in the district. It will lessen broken grains, 10% savings on drying costs and will produce higher farm yield and income,” Cojuangco said about the palay drying facilities in Villasis and Alcala.
He then urged the farmers to participate in the program on rice production.
He said the farmer-participants will be assured of assistance – the use of the farm tractors, transport machineries, seeds and fertilizers subsidies.
He enjoined farmers to plant three varieties of palay: RI-160, RI- 118 and RI -82. These varieties, he said, even though mixed during drying process in the mechanical dryers will not affect the rice classification.
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