The Department of Agriculture in Region 6 (DA-6) turned over P75.6 million (M) worth of farm machineries under the Yolanda Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program (YRRP) during the farmers’ forum held at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC) in Jaro, Iloilo on February 23, 2018.

Agriculture Secretary Manny F. Piñol, together with DA-6 Regional Executive Director Remelyn Recoter, led the distribution to more than 500 farmers from Aklan, Capiz and Iloilo.

“I am here to give what exactly your barangays need,” Piñol said.

Under YRRP, the province of Aklan received P17.28M worth of farm equipment consisting of 15 units of floating tillers(P1.77M), 50 units of rice reaper (P7.49M), 6 units of shredder (P1.49 M), 6 units of corn sheller (P1.04M), 15 units of pump and engine (P1.27M), and 2 units of 4WD tractor (P4.2M).

The province of Capiz received P32.47M assistance including 30 units of floating tiller (P3.54 M), 100 units of rice reaper (P14.9M), 9 units of shredder (P2.23M), 9 units of corn sheller (P1.5M), 45 units of pump and engine (P3.82M), and 3 units of 4WD tractor (P6.3M).

Iloilo province also received multi-million worth of machineries including 20 units of floating tiller (P2.36M), 100 units of rice reaper (P14.9M), 7 units of shredder (P1.74M), 12 units of corn sheller (P2.09M), 30 units of pump and engine (P2.55M), and 1 unit of 4WD Tractor (P2.1M). Total assistance amounted to P25.8 M.

On top of these, Sec. Piñol committed P10M under the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) credit program for onion growers of Oton, Iloilo. The Secretary also committed P20M each for the province of Aklan and Capiz under PLEA. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)