CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (PIA) – Some 68 farmers, cooperatives, and associations (FCAs) recently received P123 million worth of farm machinery and equipment from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Post Harvest Development and Mechanization (PHILMECH).
The distribution was conducted after the inauguration of the P67 million Rice Processing System (RPS) II in Echague, Isabela.
PhilMech handed over 131 units of agricultural equipment, which include five four-wheel tractors, 45 hand tractors, 18 PTO-driven disc plows, four levee makers, four rice precision seeders, 12 walk-behind transplanters, eight riding-type transplanters, three rice threshers, and two rice reapers.
PhilMech also distributed eight rice combine harvesters, seven six-ton recirculating dryers, three 12-ton recirculating dryers, a single-pass rice mill, and a 1.5 tph MSRM.
PhilMech Director for Operations and Program Management Office Head Joel V. Dator assured Isabela officials and farmers that they will continue to provide support and resources to the province.
“Whatever additional and lacking equipment needed, we will try to find ways to have it,” Dator said.
He urged local government units (LGUs) and farmers’ cooperatives and associations to coordinate with PHilMech to include their requests in the 2025 budget. (OTB/MGE/PIA Isabela)
