BALANGA CITY (PIA) -- A total of 23 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCA) and local government units (LGU) in the province of Bataan received agricultural machinery from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech).

This initiative is under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program.

The P35-million worth of awarded grants include seven four-wheel tractors, 12 hand tractors, two riding-type transplanters, eight rice combine harvesters, and a single-pass rice mill.

In his message, PHilMech Director Dionisio Alvindia stressed the importance of the machinery in providing livelihood and improving the capabilities of farmers.

“We are encouraging you to take good care of these machinery and use them to your advantage, to increase your production and to produce more competitive agricultural products,” he told the recipients. 

For his part, Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia III thanked the national government for their continuous support to the province's farmers.

About 129 FCAs and LGUs have already benefited from the 289 agricultural machinery and postharvest facilities awarded in the province since RCEF’s implementation in 2019. 

This is worth around P241 million in assistance. (CLJD/RPQ-PIA 3)