Bago city: Sixteen farmers cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in southern Negros Occidental are set to receive agricultural machinery from the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) to enhance productivity and efficiency.

According to Philippines News Agency, the distribution falls under the 2025 allocation of the Mechanization Program of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) 2.0. The agreement was formalized with a memorandum signing at the Bago City Community Center, attended by representatives from FCAs in the cities of Bago and Himamaylan, and the municipalities of San Enrique, Valladolid, Binalbagan, and Isabela.

In an interview, Bago City agriculturist Marvin John Blance stated that the distribution of machinery, including four-wheel tractors and rice combined harvesters, is planned between the second and third week of September. Blance emphasized the significance of the government's mechanization program in helping rice farmers become more efficient, competitive, and resilient in the face of agricultural challenges.

Blance noted, 'With mechanization, we reduce the burden of manual labor, increase productivity, and open more opportunities for our farmers to improve their income and quality of life.' The recipient-FCAs in Bago City, the leading rice-producing local government unit in Negros Occidental, include the Alianza-Rufina Farmers Irrigators Association, Barangay Bagroy Farmers Irrigators Association, Calumangan Integrated Farmers and Farmworkers Association, Lacbama Hills Irrigators Association, and Sabala Irrigators Association.

FCAs from San Enrique such as the Tabao Rizal Farmers and Farmworkers Association and Tabao Rizal Farmers Association, as well as those from Valladolid like the Lacapa Irrigators Association, Mag-inugyon Farmers Irrigators Association, Pacol Himaya Irrigators Association, and Pukawabi Irrigators' Association, are among the beneficiaries. Additional recipients include the Binalbagan municipal government, Bocada Irrigators Association, Southern Negros Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Toberi Irrigators Association in Himamaylan City, and Maytubig Integrated Farmers Association in Isabela.