NAGA CITY, Camarines Sur (PIA) – Before receiving four-wheel-drive tractors, dryers, and harvesting machines from the Department of Agriculture (DA), corn farmers of the Kilomaon Integrated Farmers Association (KIFA) in Sagñay, Camarines Sur, like many other farmers’ cooperatives and associations in the province, relied on renting machinery from private companies to prepare the soil for farming.
“The rent is P2,500 per hour, which is quite burdensome for us. The only option we have is to start with minimal tillage,” said Jaymay Rivera, president of KIFA.
This was the struggle faced by the farmers until the DA awarded them 22 four-wheel-drive tractors, including models with 38 and 95 horsepower, as part of the Rice and Corn Programs.
The total cost of these tractors amounted to P54,397,040 in the last quarter of 2024.
Rivera noted that this would ease production for their association.
The farmers’ association, now consisting of 63 members, is planting over 117.5 hectares of irrigated corn in Sagñay town.
He said that they are expecting higher returns and profits because the government intervention would cover their operational expenses and production would become more efficient.
“Thank you very much, DA Regional Field Office V for these interventions. Now, we have a complete facility – we have a dryer, a harvester and we are the only ones with solar powered irrigation systems in the entire Bicol region for corn,” Rivera said.
He added that the department also provided fuel subsidies for their association.
Arthur Rabeje, the manager of the San Agustin San Ramon Agrarian Reform Farmers Cooperative in Bula, Camarines Sur, expressed his gratitude to the Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol for the four-wheeled, 51-horsepower tractor they received. “We thank the government for the tractor that we can use on our farmland,” he said.
DA Bicol Regional Executive Director Rodel Tornilla led the turnover ceremony at the DA regional compound on December 27, 2024.

The farm units of machinery were received by the heads of the Fabrica Farmers Fisherfolk’s Association, Inc.; San Agustin, San Ramon Agrarian Reform Farmers Cooperative; Lirag Agrarian Reform Farmers Beneficiaries Cooperative; San Jose Farmers Association of Iriga City; Antipolo Minalabac Farmers Association; Tagas Agri Farmers Association; Comaguingking Farmers Association; Pagluwas Planters Association, Inc.; Kilomaon Integrated Farmers Association; Buhi, Diversified Farmers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative; Libod Agta-Tabangnon Indigenous People Producers Cooperative.
In addition to the 22 four-wheeled drive tractors distributed in Camarines Sur, another 10 units will be delivered this month to recipient farmers’ cooperatives and associations in Albay, Camarines Norte, Masbate, and Sorsogon. (PIA5)