Seventy-year old Rico Maambong is not a rich man, but his generous heart wanted to share what little he had to help other farmers like him to produce more and earn more.
Maambong, from Barangay Palma Perez, M’lang, North Cotabato, donated his one-fourth hectare farm lot to provide space for a Solar Power Irrigation System (SPIS).
“When I heard that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is bringing in SPIS in our area, I didn’t think twice and offered my only piece of land for the project,” he shared.
The farm was then planted to bananas and coconuts, Maambong’s only source of income. Now it is the site of the P7.9-M SPIS project that irrigates more than 40-hectare of rice farms with 249 families as direct beneficiaries.
“Farming was fairly difficult in our area before SPIS as were struggling for a steady supply of water,” he explained in Filipino.
Maambong’s unselfish act did not go unnoticed to Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol who awarded him a four-wheel-drive tractor during the mass distribution of equipment and farm machineries held at the Balindog Research and Experiment Station in Kidapawan City on July 20, 2019.
“Ang saya ko, hindi ko inasahan ito,” Maambong shared with excitement.
Maambong also thanked DA for delivering these life-changing projects in their area to improve the lives of their people.
“Hindi lang para sa akin itong traktorang natanggap ko. Ito ay para sa lahat, at ito ang gagamitin kong instrumento upang makatulong sa mga magsasakang tulad ko,” he shared.
“Kung magbabayad sila, tatanggapin ko. Para naman dun sa hindi makabayad, ipapagamit ko pa rin sa kanila ng libre basta iingatan nila,” he added.
During the turn-over ceremony, the agri chief commended Maambong for his noble and selfless act.
“You are one of a kind. You have a big heart. I hope more farmers have the same mindset as you. Thank you for your trust and confidence in DA’s projects,” Piñol said.
Since its installation, the DA’s SPIS project delivered a dramatic change in the farming activities in Palma Perez. Rice farmers who used to plant rice once a year due to the lack of irrigation in the area are looking forward to planting twice a year.
Maambong is now helping on the daily operations of the rice farms that benefitted from the SPIS project in their area.
“I urge all farmers like me to work together as a team and help one another so we can get bountiful harvest together,” Maambong said. ### (Carlos Cezar Baldosa, DA-AFID)
