By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Doubling down on the government’s efforts to bolster the country’s agricultural sector, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited the newly constructed Rice Processing System (RPS) and led the distribution of various implements to farmers and fisherfolk in Hamtic, Antique on Monday.
Accompanied by Department of Agriculture (D.A.) Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr., the President embarked on a guided tour around the multipurpose facility, which houses state-of-the-art technology and equipment for palay drying, milling, and storage.
Operated by the Hamtic Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC), the RPS facility began its operations last November, producing a daily average of 260 cavans of rice. The cooperative supplies rice to different establishments in Antique.
The D.A. ,moreover, provided KADIWA financial grants to the Hamtic local government unit (P5 million) and the Hamtic MPC (P1.5 million), as well as P32.1 million in assistance to the Livestock Economic Enterprise Development Program beneficiaries.
Other agricultural implements turned over by the government were as follows:
- 2 units of solar panel systems to farmer-cooperatives in Patnongon and Belison towns (P2 million)
- 37,530 bags of inbred rice seeds to the Antique provincial LGU (P33 million)
- 70 checks to Hamtic and San Jose de Buenavista farmers (P485,213)
- Various farm machinery to four farmers associations (P8.4 million)
- 11 units of 20-foot fiber glass fishing boats with engines and accessories (P770,000)
- Community-based coconut nursery to the Hamtic MPC (P4.4 million)
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