Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

Zambales receives Php32M worth of RCEF machines, equipment
by Marie Fe G. Carpio (November 5, 2024)
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech), through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program, distributed Php 32 million worth of various rice production machines and postharvest equipment during the ceremonial turnover and distribution held in Iba, Zambales on November 5.

A total of 24 eligible and qualified farmers' cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and local government units (LGUs) received grants including eight levee makers, five units of four-wheel tractors, five PTO disc plows, three rice combine harvesters, two precision seeders, one single pass rice mill, and one unit multi-stage rice mill with a milling capacity of 1.5 tons per hour.

"Mas gumagaan po ang buhay ng ating mga magsasaka dahil po sa suportang ibinababa ng gobyerno. Ang kayamanan po ay nasa pagbubungkal ng lupa," said Iba Mayor Irenea Maniquiz-Binan as she shares the benefit of using the agricultural machines.

During the distribution, PHilMech Director III Joel V. Dator shared about the extension of the program for another six years, from 2025-2030. He highlighted the additional budget and future plans of the agency for the farmers nationwide.

Since 2019, the province has received a total of 354 various agricultural machines and equipment amounting to Php283M benefitting the 188 FCAs and LGUs.

The event was led by PHilMech Director III Joel V. Dator alongside Zambales Governor Hon. Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., Iba Mayor Hon. Irenea Maniquiz-Binan, representative of Hon. Cynthia A. Villar, Ms. Mabel Esguerra, and attended by several representatives to show their support for the RCEF Mechanization Program.