CITY OF SAN FERNANDO- The provincial government through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) distributed yesterday P16.6 million worth of farm equipment to 87 farmers association coming from the four districts of Pampanga.
Vice-Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda together with third district board members Ananias “Jun” Canlas, Rosve Henson, Ferdinand “Dinan” Labung and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) head Angie Blanco led the turnover of the farm machineries.
Some of the equipment allocated for farm mechanization were 49 shallow tube wells, 12 hand tractors with trailers and implements, 7 mini four wheel drive tractors, 6 rice reapers, 6 rice threshers, four pump irrigation system open surfaces, four rice transplanters and one combine harvester.
According to Jun Canlas, also chairman of the agricultural committee, the provincial government aims to focus in increasing the income of the farmers not only giving support in sustaining and boosting their harvest.
“I hope we work together in all the programs of the governor and vice-governor even the national government will allot funds for the agricultural sector. As you can see, all the equipment here have specific purpose that will be used for your irrigation and we will also work on your irrigation facilities. On our end, we will work for the welfare of the farmers”, he added.
Among the beneficiaries of the farm equipment were the United Farmer Association of Brgy. San Jose Matulid, Mexico who received the combine harvester worth P1.7 million.
The vice-governor reiterated that the equipment are intended for the use of the whole association and shouldn’t be used personally by any farmer.
“These equipment are for the (farmers) association, we chose you as recipients fairly and no fees to be imposed from you. That’s why together with the governor we remove your counterpart to guarantee it will benefit the farmer’s association. Probably, your counterpart is to take good care of the equipment, secure and maintain them,” he stressed.
Also present in the distribution is provincial agriculturist, Eddie Salenga who reminded the farmers to value and cherish the equipment granted to them by the provincial government.
