THE Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) gave assurances that no farm equipment it distributed to qualified beneficiaries are in a “decaying” state.
PHilMech Director Dionisio Alvindia Jr. said that the agency continues to deploy monitoring teams to identify farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs), and local government units (LGUs) that misuse or underutilize the agricultural equipment given to them under the program. The misused and underutilized machines are reallocated by PHilMech or given to another FCA and LGU.
So far, PHilMech has reallocated 82 units of farm equipment deemed underutilized or unutilized by their original recipients.
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) is sustaining its distribution of farm machines in the country. Photo shows a representative of a farmers’ group in Pagadian receiving a four-wheel tractor from PHilMech. PHILMECH PHOTO
Alvindia made the statements amid false reports that a few of the machines distributed under the program in Leyte are “decaying” because these allegedly were unutilized or improperly used.
He added that a PHilMech representative joined a monitoring and validation conference convened by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries, and Fishery Council of Eastern Visayas. This took place on July 15 to 18 and the exit conference on July 19.
“During the two-day conference and the exit conference, there were no concerns raised on the agricultural equipment and machines delivered by PHilMech under RCEF to qualified beneficiaries across Eastern Visayas, including the province of Leyte,” Alvindia said.
“There was no mention during the conferences of ‘decaying’ farm equipment as reported by a columnist of a national daily to whom we are making an emphatic appeal to be more responsible in his reporting of facts,” he added.
The recipients are from the municipalities of Babatngon, Barugo, Carigara and Merida in Leyte.
Besides Leyte, PHilMech is also receiving false reports of “decaying” farm machines distributed under the program from other areas.
Alvindia explained that PHilMech always makes sure that the recipients of the RCEF-Mechanization Program have a shed or a facility where they can park the farm machines given to them.
Also, the agency trains all FCAs and LGUs who are recipients of the program on how to operate and maintain the agricultural equipment and farm machines given to them.
“We also have to give credit to all FCAs and LGUs who have so far received their agricultural equipment under the program for becoming responsible custodians, learning not only to maintain their farm machines but also to value these as investments given to them by the government,” Alvindia said.
PHilMech also reallocates misused or underutilized farm machines to more deserving FCAs and LGUs.
“The memorandum of agreements executed by an FCA or LGU with PHilMech have provisions that the recipient should properly utilize the equipment given to them. If there is a case of clear misuse or underutilization, the equipment is reallocated to another FCA or LGU,” Alvindia said.
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