ANN says on 23 Dec, “Agri-Stakeholders Inaugurate P26.7M BAPTC Processing & Packaging
Facility; (DA) Turns Over Marketing & Consolidation Grants to FCAs, Tinoc
LGU[1]”
(Author Not Named, Business.facebook.com).
The P26.7M was for the Benguet Agri-Pinoy
Trading Center (BAPTC) “to enhance postharvest services to farmers by providing
equipment for postharvest, processing, packing ,,,to improve the quality of
products.” The fund is under the DA Bayanihan II stimulus package jointly
implemented by the DA and the Benguet State University (BSU) based at La
Trinidad, Benguet. The BAPTC is on the Strawberry Fields at the BSU campus.
BSU President Felipe
Salaing Comila committed BSU to provide “the best experts in the
University to help and assist towards the (improvement) of trading vegetables
as well as in the better packaging of agri-products.”
Separately, a financial grant of P27,865,000 under the Enhanced
Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita was awarded to farmer cooperatives and
associations (FCAs) and one local government unit (Tinoc) in the Cordillera.
The Certificates were awarded by Agriculture Undersecretary (Usec) Leocadio Sebastian and assisted by Cordillera
Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Operations Danilo Daguio and RTD for Research & Regulations Jennilyn Dawayan.
The grant was for the FCAs to establish a postharvest facility
for value-adding on farmers’ produce, as well as procuring transport and
delivery vehicles. This is in line with the DA’s goal to intensify the
operations of Kadiwa not only in Metro Manila but in the regions, to enhance
food availability and facilitate accessibility to consumers in high-demand
areas through partnerships with other government agencies, local government
units, farmer groups, private sector, and community organizations.
Marcos Luciap,
Chair of the Tawangan Agrarian Reform Community Multipurpose Cooperative,
acknowledged BSU “as a partner in development not just in terms of education.”
He thanked the DA for including the FCAs in its programs, saying “It shows that
the government support to us farmers is (comprehensive).”
Municipal Mayor Samson
Benito of Tinoc, Ifugao committed LGU Tinoc to “the continuous operation
and maintenance of the agri-programs and assistance that they have received.”
After those millions of pesos, Mr Sebastian gave a golden
message to all:
Usec Sebastian shared
his experiences and observations… particularly (in) Vietnam and Malaysia. He
gave emphasis on three aspects, namely reduction of production cost,
diversification in crops, and improvement of marketing system.
Thinking with Mr Sebastian, I agriculturist and warrior
writer now emphasize his emphasis on reducing
production cost and diversifying
crops.
Farmers must cut down the high cost of farming – with more
science and more art (management).
Farmers will profit more growing more crops simultaneously. Should
one crop fail, other crops will save each farmer’s labors & family.
The
above image[2]
is typical of Cordillera farms. Britannica
says there are 4,000 square miles of such rice terraces[3]
– imagine how many millions of pesos more Cordillera farmers could earn
following Mr Sebastian’s advice?!@517
[1]https://business.facebook.com/rafiscordillera/posts/2477004629101212?__tn__=K-R
[2]https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Attraction_Review-g294249-d3208819-Reviews-Hapao_Rice_Terraces-Banaue_Ifugao_Province_Cordillera_Region_Luzon.html#/media-atf/3208819/102246756:p/?albumid=-160&type=0&category=-160
[3]https://www.britannica.com/place/Banaue-rice-terraces
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