CITY OF MALOLOS — In bolstering the resilience and productivity of Bulacan’s agricultural and fisheries sectors, the Provincial Agriculture Office in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources- Region 3 (BFAR-3), conducted the Distribution of Farm Machineries and Postharvest facilities to Farmers and Livelihood Assistance to Fisherfolks held at the Covered Court of Bulacan Polytechnic College recently.
In his statement, Governor Daniel R. Fernando highlighted the importance of this initiative in supporting Bulacan’s food security goals and ensuring a thriving agricultural sector.
“Isa po kayo sa mga bumubuhay sa mga ibinibigay ng Diyos na grasya. Kayo ang ginamit ng Diyos para kami ay pakainin – para pakainin ang taumbayan, kaya marapat lamang na bigyan kayo ng mga biyayang ganyan para magamit ninyo. Kasi we need to level up our farmers and machineries,” the governor said.
According to Provincial Agriculturist Ma. Gloria SF. Carrillo during an interviewed, 10 Farmers Cooperatives/Associations (FCAs) received 50 units of Rainwater Harvesting Facilities (Cistern) amounting to P500,000 to provide supplemental or alternative irrigation source for farmers, preventing drought and water-induced crop production losses.
“A total of 22 FCAs and two LGUs in the province received farm machineries including five units of Four-Wheel Tractor with driven disc plow; five units of Hand Tractor; 10 units of Levee Maker; 13 units of Rice Combine Harvester; two units of Recirculating Dryer and one unit of Single Pass Rice Mill (stationary), all amounting to a total of P41,330,000 from the 2024 PhilMech Fund,” Carillo added.
In improving the standard of living of fisherfolks in the province, 400 FBs received gillnets and another 53 received marine engines; while another set of FCAs received two units of Smokehouse, one set of Fish Smoking Technology Package, three units of Fish Vending Equipment (tribike), two units of Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Boat with two units of 10 HP engine, with a total cost of P2,182,645 all from the PGB and DA-BFAR3.
Also present during the program were Vice Governor Alexis C. Castro, DA-BFAR Regional Director Wilfredo M. Cruz, Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer Memito Luyun III, and Senator Cynthia Villar represented by Mabel Esguerra. (UnliNews Online)
