Pampanga farmers get P126M machinery from Philmech

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga farmers received some P126.18 million worth of machinery from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (Philmech) on Thursday, January 11 at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

This is part of the effort of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to boost local agriculture.

The new machinery program was made possible through the DA's Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

The program aims to better equip farmers efficient machinery to boost production and modernize farming processes.

The DA said that some 52 groups and cooperatives from Pampanga benefited from the pr ogr am.

These included groups and cooperatives from Floridablanca, Guagua, Lubao, and Porac sa Ikalawang Distrito, Lungsod ng San Fernando, Arayat, Bacolor, Mexico, and Sta. Ana in Pampanga's 3rd district along with 4th district towns of Apalit, Candaba, San Luis, and San Si mon.

Groups from the 1st district town of Magalang also received machinery allocations.

At least 90 units of farming machines, which included tractors, harvesters, and other equipment, were distributed in the event.

The event was attended by officers of Pampanga cooperatives along with Regional Executive Director Crispulo G. Bautista, Jr., Pampanga Gov. Dennis G. Pineda, Vice Gov. Lilia G. Pineda, and PHilMech Director Dr. Dionisio G. Alvindia.

Governor Pineda a expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Senate Chairperson for the Committee on Agriculture Senator Cynthia Villar "for hearing the pleas of farmers and cooperatives in the province."

“Nais ko pong magpasalamat sa Department of Agriculture (DA), at kay Senadora Cynthia Villar sa pagtugon niyo po sa pangangailangan po ng ating agri-sector lalong-lalo na ang mga farmer association po ng Pampanga. Gusto ko din pong pasalamatan ang mahal nating pangulo para sa suportang ibinigay niyo po sa probinsya. Pinapakita niyo po kung gaano niyo po kamahal ang pampanga," Pineda said.