Some 58 Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) from Camarines Sur were the recipients of the P181.8 M worth agri machineries under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Component.

Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law created the RCEF with a P10 Billion fund for six years starting 2019. This Rice Fund comes from the annual tarrif revenue from rice importation. Half of this fund or 50% is being used for the procurement of rice farm machineries by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (Philmech).

On February 23, 2023, the Phimech, one of the attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture, together with DA Bicol and the provincial government of Camarines Sur, turned over of the machineries to beneficiary FCAs at the Cam. Sur Provincial Capitol Convention Center.

Among the machineries that were turned over were 42 units hand tractor, 7 units floating tiller, 19 units walk behind transplanter, 2 units riding type transplanter, 1 unit precision seeder, 40 units rice reaper, 8 units rice combine harvester, 8 units mobile rice mill, 5 units 12-T recirculating dryer, 1 unit 1.5tph multi stage rice mill, and 2 units 2-3 tph multi-stage rice mill. These machineries were funded under RCEF mechanization component for CY 2022.

DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla urged the farmers to be proud of their profession “Ang pang-araw-araw na pagkain ng mga Bicolano ay nakadepende po sainyo kaya kayo po ang mga bagong bayani ng ating bayan,” RED Tornilla said. “Padangat po kamo kan DA, at ang mga makinarya ay ibinigay sainyo upang mapadali ang trabaho at mabawasan ang inyong gastos sa sakahan,” he added.

Engr. Nino D. Bengosta, Philmech Cluster Head Luzon C Cluster read the message of Philmech Director Dr. Dionisio G. Alvindia. “Nais naming mga pinakabago, pinakamaganda, branded at tunay na mapapakinabangan ang mga makinarya ang aabot sa inyong mga sakahan…gamit ang mga makinaryang ito, hikayatin natin ang ating mga anak upang tuloy tuloy and kinabukasan ng ating pagsasaka.”

Camarines Sur Governor Luigi R. Villafuerte on the other hand said that they will give back to the farmers by way of the establishment and operation of rice processing centers in Bula and Pamplona, as well as coconut and vegetable processing centers where the Provincial Government will buy the produce from the farmers at standard prices set to be beneficial to the farmers.

Since 2019, the Philmech was able to facilitate the procurement and delivery of 1,002 units of RCEF-funded agricultural machineries and postharvest facilities for the Bicolano farmers. The machineries funded from 2019 to 2021 were already distributed to the beneficiaries last year. For RCEF 2023, Philmech is currently facilitating the procurement of an estimated P155 M worth of agri machineries to be distributed to other FCAs in Camarines Sur.

Engr. Bengosta said that to qualify for the machineries, the FCA should have a 50-hectare rice areas, should be duly registered either in SEC or DOLE or CDA and the members are registered in the RSBSA. The FCA should also be accredited by the DA Regional Office 5. The RCEF is in its fifth year and will end in 2024. (Lovella P. Guarin / RAFIS 5)

DA, Philmech turn over P181.8 M worth of agri machineries in Cam. Sur

Some 58 Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) from Camarines Sur were the recipients of the P181.8 M worth agri machineries under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Component.

Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law created the RCEF with a P10 Billion fund for six years starting 2019. This Rice Fund comes from the annual tarrif revenue from rice importation. Half of this fund or 50% is being used for the procurement of rice farm machineries by the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (Philmech).

On February 23, 2023, the Phimech, one of the attached agencies of the Department of Agriculture, together with DA Bicol and the provincial government of Camarines Sur, turned over of the machineries to beneficiary FCAs at the Cam. Sur Provincial Capitol Convention Center.

Among the machineries that were turned over were 42 units hand tractor, 7 units floating tiller, 19 units walk behind transplanter, 2 units riding type transplanter, 1 unit precision seeder, 40 units rice reaper, 8 units rice combine harvester, 8 units mobile rice mill, 5 units 12-T recirculating dryer, 1 unit 1.5tph multi stage rice mill, and 2 units 2-3 tph multi-stage rice mill. These machineries were funded under RCEF mechanization component for CY 2022.

DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel P. Tornilla urged the farmers to be proud of their profession “Ang pang-araw-araw na pagkain ng mga Bicolano ay nakadepende po sainyo kaya kayo po ang mga bagong bayani ng ating bayan,” RED Tornilla said. “Padangat po kamo kan DA, at ang mga makinarya ay ibinigay sainyo upang mapadali ang trabaho at mabawasan ang inyong gastos sa sakahan,” he added.

Engr. Nino D. Bengosta, Philmech Cluster Head Luzon C Cluster read the message of Philmech Director Dr. Dionisio G. Alvindia. “Nais naming mga pinakabago, pinakamaganda, branded at tunay na mapapakinabangan ang mga makinarya ang aabot sa inyong mga sakahan…gamit ang mga makinaryang ito, hikayatin natin ang ating mga anak upang tuloy tuloy and kinabukasan ng ating pagsasaka.”

Camarines Sur Governor Luigi R. Villafuerte on the other hand said that they will give back to the farmers by way of the establishment and operation of rice processing centers in Bula and Pamplona, as well as coconut and vegetable processing centers where the Provincial Government will buy the produce from the farmers at standard prices set to be beneficial to the farmers.

Since 2019, the Philmech was able to facilitate the procurement and delivery of 1,002 units of RCEF-funded agricultural machineries and postharvest facilities for the Bicolano farmers. The machineries funded from 2019 to 2021 were already distributed to the beneficiaries last year. For RCEF 2023, Philmech is currently facilitating the procurement of an estimated P155 M worth of agri machineries to be distributed to other FCAs in Camarines Sur.

Engr. Bengosta said that to qualify for the machineries, the FCA should have a 50-hectare rice areas, should be duly registered either in SEC or DOLE or CDA and the members are registered in the RSBSA. The FCA should also be accredited by the DA Regional Office 5. The RCEF is in its fifth year and will end in 2024. (Lovella P. Guarin / RAFIS 5)