TWENTY NINE Cooperatives and Associations of farmers and fisher folks from the municipality of Bataraza, Balabac, Brookes Point, Sofronio Espanola, Rizal, Quezon and Narra receive different types of tractor, floating tiller, transplanter, thresher and harvester worth P74 million from the Department of Agriculture under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).
Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar led the formal turn over last January 29 at the Bataraza Gymnasium along with DA Assistant Sec. Noel Reyes for Strategic Communications, Palawan Gov. Jose Ch. Alvarez and second district Rep. Cyrelle Abueg-Zaldivar.
The said aid according to Sec. Dar is now on its third year and there will be more to come to help increase the income of farmers and fishermen. He reports that for 2019, the Department recorded an all-time high in Gross Domestic Products of 19.4 million metric tons for rice production, it’s a 90% increase in rice sufficient level of the country.
“Alam ko kayo rito sa Bataraza ay umaabot ng 6,000 hectares devoted to rice production pero sa buong Palawan ay malaki ang exposure, ‘yung mga nagtatanim ng palay dito sa probinsya ng Palawan, ang malaking balita po kahit may nangyaring kalamidad, kahit may COVID-19 ay naipatala natin mayroon na tayo last year na pinakamataas na rice production in the country,” Dar said.
The Secretary also announced that he approved and signed a memorandum of agreement with Gov. Jose Ch. Alvarez for three projects in the province, these are the Irawan Cattle Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Ice Plant and Fish port in Coron under the agriculture and fisheries extension system.
“PHILMEC has been given a responsibility to distribute every year pangatlong taon na ‘to, P5 billion a year farm mechanization at hindi lang traktora ang ibibigay nila, in the future they will also bring and distribute itong warehouses and milling facilities, hindi po kayo dapat mag atubili na makipagsangguni sa mga partners dito sa probinsya,” Dar added.
Aside from P74 million farm mechanization, the Secretary also announced that Palawan also receive additional P2.5 million different aide from his Department, some of them are fiber glass boats and other services for Palawenos.
“Hindi ko na ni-request ang mga ito, basta malaman nya Palawan napakalapit sa kanyang puso, Sec. Dar maraming salamat, kung ano pa ‘yun gusto nyong hilingan sa ating Dept of Agriculture ay ipadaan nyo lang kay Mayor ibigay sa akin, para sa mga susunod na dalaw meron pa tuloy tuloy po ito, remember 2021 pa lang tayo, meron pang 2022 lalo na magkaka election sa 2022,” Gov. Alvarez said.
On the same day, Sec. Dar formally turned over another batch of farm machines in Puerto Princesa covering recipients of the City, Aborlan, Roxas, San Vicente, Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Araceli, Coron and Busuanga with 46 cooperatives and associations.