PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday spearheaded the distribution of government assistance, including livelihood and training support, to residents and farmers in South Cotabato as South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. vowed to deliver an average of 8-ton rice yield per hectare under the province’s consolidated rice production and mechanization program.
Gracing the kickoff of the program in Barangay Liwanay, Banga, South Cotabato, the President asked the governor how many tons of rice is expected to be produced with the help of the consolidated rice output and mechanization scheme.
Based on available data, the current average yield per hectare in the province is around 4 tons.
“So the yield will increase, 8 tons per hectare. Think about it, that’s 160 bags per hectare. The deal on the production side is good,” said the President in his speech during the event.
President Marcos, who also acts as Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary, acknowledged the efforts of the provincial government of South Cotabato in coming up with the program seen to increase farmers’ yield and bring down the cost of production.
The President said this kind of program is in line with the DA’s Masagana Rice Industry Development Program, which aims to raise the level of production of rice and other important commodities and strengthen the value chain from the farmers up to the consumers.
The convergence initiative is meant to pool resources, share knowledge, and coordinate efforts to achieve sustainable rice production and uplift the lives of farmers by increasing their income.
The President said these issues plaguing the agriculture sector can be resolved with mechanization to facilitate the processes of farming and rice production.
During the event, the President also led the turnover of P115,311,860 worth of farm assistance to the beneficiaries, including a warehouse, hauling truck, hybrid seeders, rice processing center, rice seeder, and inbred rice seeds, among others.
Drawn up by the local government, the program aims to create an organized and efficient rice production and marketing system that will increase production, improve grain quality, and achieve global competitiveness through efficient agricultural practices.
It also aims to address issues such as low utilization of farm inputs and technologies by individual farmers, lack of synchronization in the implementation of cropping patterns among farmers, and inadequate marketing systems.
The program involves consolidating small farm holders into a compact rice area, to be given access to services of the national and local governments such as farm mechanization, production loans, drying, storage, and marketing. A cropping pattern and rice production plan shall be adopted by the consolidated farm production area.
To date, the provincial government has organized six consolidated farm production areas. The consolidated farm production area in Barangay Dahay, Surallah started its operation in May 2023.
Concerted effort
SPEAKING at the distribution of assistance at the Gymnasium and Cultural Center in Koronadal City, the President acknowledged the concerted effort of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) to facilitate support programs that aim to improve the lives of the locals in the province.
DSWD personnel distributed cash assistance and family food packs to around 2,000 identified beneficiaries while the DA also turned over machinery such as combine harvesters, precision rice seeders, and walk-behind transplanters to several farmers’ cooperatives and farmers’ associations.
Marcos said DOLE also distributed livelihood support worth over P13 million, under its Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), to 619 beneficiaries from various LGUs.
Moreover, 1,000 beneficiaries also received assistance under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displace Workers (TUPAD) Program.
During the distribution, a total of 5,166 beneficiaries benefitted from the various government assistance.
Meanwhile, the DTI gave assistance worth P112,050 each to nine beneficiaries under its Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa, and assistance worth P4,581,170 to six beneficiaries under its Shared Service Facility (SSF) Project.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority gave scholarships worth P16,604,477 to 1,003 beneficiaries and tool kits to 250 beneficiaries under its Tesda Alay ay Liwanag at Asenso (TALA) program.
The President also led the launch of the South Cotabato province-wide Healthcare System and Referral Manual to help residents, especially the indigents, get the proper healthcare in line with the Universal Health Care law.