Farm machineries to NE farmers. Contriobuted photo
SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ — Some 150 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) received a total of P317.7-million worth of machineries in ceremonies spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) here on Friday.
PhilMech director Balwin Jallorina said the activity was in line with the continuous implementation of the government’s mechanization program through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Ria Vergara, whose district received 106 different machines for 44 FCAs, said the effort to uplift the agriculture sector continues.
In her message, Vergara vowed to “work the extra mile,” especially in Congress, to make sure that farmers will benefit from the program.
This, even as Vergara remained firm in her stand against Executive Order No. 135, a measure “temporarily modifying the rates of import duty on rice” issued by Malacañang on May 15, 2021.
“Kami po ay tumitindig doon [in Congress) at tinatanong parati, bakit po nagkaroon ng EO 135, napakaganda po ng pagsasaka, maganda po yung yield. Yung rice output ng ating bansa ay maganda. Bakit po kailangan magpasok ng imported rice? Pilit po namin yon hinahanapan ng sagot. At hindi po kami magsasawa na tumayo doon para ipaglaban po ang inyong mga problema,” Vergara said.
Also present during the activity were Agriculture Usec Ariel Cayanan, DA-3 director Crispulo Bautista Jr., NE 4th District Rep. Maricel Natividad-Nagaño, Marilyn Ansing of Villar Sipag Foundation, Atty. Ferdinand Abesamis for the provincial government, and Jun Bugawan represensting NE 1st District Rep. Estrellita Suansing.
As this developed, farmers cry for help amid sliding prices of palay. Sources said the traders buy unhusked rice at only P11 to P13 a kilo.
