Sorsogon City – The Department of Agriculture in Bicol Region through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) turned over farm machineries to different municipalities in Sorsogon on March 30, 2021. The turn over was held at the Regional Dairy Production and Technology Center, Brgy. Cabid-an, this City.
Included in the machineries turned over by the PhilMech were 17 units Four-Wheel Drive Tractor, 9 units Rice Combine Harvester and 6 units Hand Tractor. These were purchased through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)
Nineteen (19) farmers’ association from 11 municipalities of Sorsogon will benefit from these machineries. These municipalities are Magallanes, Casiguran, Barcelona, Bulan, Irosin, Prieto Diaz, Santa Magdalena, Donsol, Castilla, Bulusan, Gubat, Juban, and Sorsogon. Likewise, the LGUs of Magallanes and Bulusan also received some machineries.
In their respective video messages, PhilMech Executive Director Dr. Baldwin Jallorina and Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Chairperson Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food expressed their support to the Bicolano farmers.
“Tanggapin po ninyo ang mga makinaryang ito na tulong mula sa gobyerno. Bagaman ay libre ito, nawa ay alagaan natin ang mga makinaryang gagamitin ng husto at sama-sama nating baguhin ang mga imahe ng pagbubukid sa mga mata ng susunod na henerasyon.” Phil Mech Executive Director Baldwin Jallorina conveyed in his message.
DA RFU 5 Center Chief/Superintendent Dolores Ricafranca, in her message expressed her gratitude in behalf of the farmers. “We are thankful to the Department of Agriculture especially to Phil Mech because on my retirement day after my 44 years of service in Agriculture, I have seen that the farmers’ dreams are now coming into reality with these farm machineries to improve their productivity.”
Also present were Acting Provincial Agriculturist Roberto D. Fortez; Sorsogon City Administrator Atty. Mark Gerald Guirindola; and DA Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Florentino Ubalde. (L.Guarin/P. Borja / Some photos were taken from Sorsogon Provincial Information Office)