DOLE OUT IN SAN MIGUEL

200 organized farmers get

livelihood kits, machineries

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 2 (PIA) – Getting themselves organized to avail of more government services and assistance, more or less about 200 farmer members of the seven organizations from San Miguel town, woke up to a dream-come-true.

In a day marked memorable by small time farmers of this town, the government granted them nearly P3 million worth of mechanized farm implements they can use and rent to other farmers in the irrigation catchment, and livelihood packages for women association to augment farm incomes.

“Mapasalamaton mi ug dako kaayo tungod kay usa mi sa nahimong nakadawat niining dinagkong kahimanan para sa pag-uma. Amo jung ampingan kini ug hinaot mapalambo namo ni sa among asosasyon,"

“We are thankful because we are among the few that received these farm equipment and machineries. We commit to take care of this and hope we can further improve our organization,” said Christoper Bacnotan, president of Bugang Farmers Association.

With the local government partner San Miguel under Mayor Ian Gil Mondez, the fund is augmented by the LGU to reach a little over P3 million, explains cooperative development worker and livelihood focal person at the Capitol, Estrellita Verenio.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), through their DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), realized their organizations’ wish for farm implements their members can use and put these out for rental with members operating farm preparation, tilling, and threshing services.

Still wanting to get the most of the benefits from irrigation, farmers of the three barangays and members of Cambangay, Bayongan and San Isidro (Cambasan) Irrigator’s Association, whose farms are fed by the Bayongan Irrigation System of the National Irrigation Administration, dreamt of mechanized farming that can significantly cut production costs and save them so much time to prepare for the next cropping.

"Nagpasalamat mi kay mapasayon na ug mapadali usab ang pagtikad sa among mga kayutaan," said Rowena Cambangay, president of Cam-ba-san Irrigators' Association.

Since the government started its modernized mechanization program, farmers from the towns which are hugely rice production areas gawk at their neighboring farmers getting mechanized services and how fast these farmers can have their farms ready for the release of irrigation water.

Production and labor costs dent so much on the farmer’s costs that farm scientists have turned to mechanization, for more efficient, fast and cost-effective farm preparation and production.

With this, DOLE granted the necessary funds for the procurement of farm implements for rental and services for Bugang Farmer’s Association worth (P249,400), San Jose Women’s Organization (P146,120), Kagawasan Farmers Association (P243,288) and Cambasan Irrigators Association Inc (P999,696).

Moreover, the organized women in the town also dreamt of augmenting the family income that the DOLE also granted Hagbuyo Women’s Association some P249,928 worth of egg production kit.

In Barangay Corazon, DOLE also granted P337,488 worth of restaurant and catering services, while Barangay Bugang’s Women Association opted for swine fattening and got P498,482.

DOLE Bohol Chief Labor and Employment Officer Maria Eloida O. Cantona led the ceremonial turn-over Livelihood starter kits and farm machineries including 4WD tractor, walk behind tractors, rotary tiller and mechanized threshers.

For San Miguel, Mayor Ian Gil Mendez personally graced the event with acting municipal agriculturist Felix Lucip, PESO Manager Yevgeny Lanoy, agricultural technologists Ananias Nuez and Artemia Y. Hamo.

For this, Mayor Mendez thanked the DOLE, for the help adding that this has largely extended the town’s development funds, and would be a great help in spurring agricultural production. (rahc/PIA7/Bohol)

DOLE OUT IN THE FIELD. For a long time, DOLE has always been associated as a paper-pusher agency, an identity it is now shaking off as the agency goes out to be with the communities that need its help in integrating livelihood and employment. Part of the farmers from 7 organization in town join mayor Mendez (between hand tractors) and DOLE Cantona (4WD tractor foreground) during the turn-over in San Miguel. (PIABohol/Dole Bohol)

FOR OWN USE AND RENTALS. Farmer organizations seeing the benefits of irrigation jump into the groove to keep pace with the production by getting mechanized farm equipment which they can rent after their members have done their farms, to augment their income and increase production by cutting on farm labor in preparation costs. (PIAbohol/DOLEBohol)