PHilMech technologies amazed Dapitanons particularly cassava farmers of Brgy. Aseniero. Last June 15 to 17, PHilMech drew a crowd for its Training Course on Mechanization and Postharvest Technologies, Technology Demonstration of cassava digger and adlai mill, and Technology Forum for local agri-machinery manufacturers. This coincided even with the City’s Charter Anniversary and Harvest Festival celebration.

Mayor Rosalinda "Nene" Jalosjos during the technology demonstration in Brgy. Aseniero, Dapitan City gave her thanks and asked that the demonstration unit of cassava digger be given to Dapitan City. This request earned applause from the Aseniero cassava farmers.

" Salamat kaayo sa atong mga bisita sa pagdala sa modernong teknolohiya para sa atong Dapitanons… Pasalamat tayo sa Panginoon (Thank you very much to our visitors for bringing modern technologies in our town… Thank God)," Mayor said.

For the mayor, the PHilMech technology would help ease the town’s cassava harvesting for their cassava chips processing. In response, PHilMech representative replied that what PHilMech could do was to include Dapitan as a study area for the cassava digger.

"What PHilMech can do is make Brgy. Aseniero of Dapitan City as a project site for the commercialization of the cassava digger. The right ingredients for a good cooperation is here--" assistance of LGU, city agriculturist and other government agencies, and receptive farmers… we see no reason to decline the request. For now we can "lend" the unit to the area to gather data," Reynaldo P. Gregorio, acting chief of Agricultural Machinery Division, answered on behalf of PHilMech.

The response of Dapitan to mechanization and postharvest technologies inspired PHilMech team of researchers and extensionists, and Roderic O. Vereña, chief of Technology Management Section of Technology Management and Training Division, summed the feeling with, " Masarap tulungan yung mga nagtutulungan din. Maganda yung samahan ng LGU, farmers' associations. Buo ang suporta na nakikita namin dito. " Vereña expressed these sentiments during the closing of the three-day training course.


The catalyst

The "invisible link" that brought PHilMech technologies to Dapitan City is Susan Q. Empeynado, senior agriculturist and cassava consultant of the City Agriculture Office. Empeynado is considered the "maestra" or the teacher by Mayor Jalosjos when it comes to cassava production and processing.

" Bakit ko binigyan ng importansya ang cassava? Dahil ako po ay kumakain ng cassava. Noong una personal na negosyo ang naiisip ko kung bakit ko sinimulan ang cassava chip processing, pero nang pumasok na ako sa pagiging extensionist gusto ko na marami akong matulungan. Gusto kong makilala ang cassava chips bilang pinaka-champion na produkto ng Dapitan, " beamed Empeynado as she related how she started the processing of cassava in Dapitan.

Empeynado’s idealism also echoed during the closing program of the three-day training course. She said,"Lahat ng ating natutunan… it serves our purpose…for every journey we always start with a single step…hindi natin mararating yung ating patutunguhan kung hindi tayo hahakbang."

As a final note she challenged the training participants with "Dapitanon: kapobrehan tumpagon, kamoteng kahoy itanum (Dapitanon: fight poverty, plant cassava)."


The movers

PHilMech's TMTD did not stop with the training course, technology demonstration or with the technology forum, it as well encouraged the LGU to sit down and discuss the possible future interventions that PHilMech could offer.

City Councilor Amalou T. Monroyo and City Agriculturist Cyril A. Patangan led the group of the LGU. Monroyo voiced out their interest on getting all the agricultural machinery or technologies that PHilMech could offer. The opportunity she said is for the taking and Dapitan City should be aggressive enough to use the partnership. She encouraged Patangan’s group to have technical cooperation with PHilMech on Dapitan’s emerging crops such as cassava, coffee and cacao, and on the town's long existing crops like corn, mango, adlai and coconut.

The group of the LGU also supported the idea of local manufacturing of PHilMech technologies. They welcome the idea of collaboration with a state college university or the idea of adding this in the City's empowerment programs for skilled workers.

The PHilMech team also found opportunities with this partnership. Researchers saw a gateway for researchable areas not only in cassava processing but also in terms of machinery for other crops.

The takers say

" Belib kami sa demo… gamiton namo ang cassava digger (We are amazed by the demonstration of the technologies… we will use the cassava digger)."

" Kaugma gyud (Consistent)."

" Sana matulungan pa kami ng PHilMech para ma-improve pa ang aming pagsasaka (We hope PHilMech would help improve our farming)."

"Sana makarating pa sa aming barangay ang iba’t ibang makinarya sa pagsasaka (We hope the different agricultural machinery reach our barangay)."

"Looking forward to see a cassava planter."

These impressions were heard not only during the technology demonstration of the cassava digger and the adlai mill but were also picked up in the closing ceremony of the training course.

Recapping the whole conduct of the activities, Helen R. Calica, Training Section chief of the of TMTD gave an assurance to the takers of the PHilMech technologies, “ Hindi ito ang huli, umpisa palang ito ng ating partnership.”