SULTAN KUDARAT, (24 September 2020) — It was a heart-to-heart conversation between a proud farmer’s son and the sun-burnt tillers of this agricultural community.

Though coming from opposite sides of the country – one from the north, and the rest from the south – communication did not become a barrier, as they all spoke the same language: the language of the soil.

In his visit to this Central Mindanao province, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. urged farmer-beneficiaries here to maximize the use and take care of the farming equipment provided to them under the government’s PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program.

“Ito po ang hamon ko sa inyo. Sana po itong mga farm equipment na nakikita niyo sa harapan niyo, pagbutihin at alagaan niyo po para ito po ay tumagal pa ng maraming taon. At sana, ang mga equipment na ito ay makatulong sa inyong mga anak at mai-pamana ninyo sa kanila,” he said.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), which oversees the PAMANA Program’s implementation, turned over on Thursday Php 117M worth of agriculture equipment to 12 municipalities of this province to help boost the income of local farmers.

“Ako po ay naniniwala na ang lupa ay buhay. Marami na pong dugo ang dumanak dito sa ating bayan. At nakita po natin ngayon na itong PAMANA, ito po ay para sa inyo. Ito po ay para sa ating mga mahihirap [na kababayan]. Ito pong PAMANA para sa ating bayan,” Galvez added.

The post harvest equipment included 68 mobile rice millers with haulers, 25 combine harvesters, 30 rotavators, 19 coffee dehullers, and six abaca strippers.

 

A farmer’s son

Galvez, whose parents are both farmers from Bulacan, recalled how the machinery reminded him of his humble beginnings as a farmer’s son.

“Alam po ninyo, malapit po sa aking puso ang mga magsasaka dahil po anak ako ng magsasaka,” he said.

“No’ng makita ko po yung harvester, naisip ko na sana noong maliit ako, naimbento na ito at talagang halos maiyak ako kasi hindi ko naranasan na magkaroon ng ganito. Kaya alagaan niyo po ang mga kagamitan na ito,” he added.

Galvez said that despite the current health crisis, the government will continue to implement PAMANA projects throughout the country, as this is the only way to revive the nation’s economy and bring much-needed development to remote, underserved communities.

“Bagamat may pandemya, nangangako po ang pamahalaan na itutuloy nito ang pagpapatupad ng mga proyekto sa ilalim ng PAMANA. Ang mga proyektong ito ang magbibigay daan upang maibangon natin ang ating ekonomiya,” he added.

 

Harvesting peace

For his part, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua told the farmers to not only consider what the equipment could do to help raise their incomes, but more importantly, how they can help bring peace in their communities.

“Ang ilagay niyo sa inyong isipan, nagha-harvest kayo ng hindi lang palay. You are harvesting the peace, tsaka ‘yung pang-matagalang peace sa ating bayan,” Macacua said.

“So, we’re not only harvesting rice, but with this program, we are harvesting peace. We are harvesting development. Na ‘yung dalawa na ‘yun ay talagang kailangan na kailangan natin, ng mga tao,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sultan Kudarat Governor Suharto Mangudadatu thanked the national government for the farming equipment which shall benefit 112 targeted people’s organizations.

Mangudadatu also promised to document how the machinery will help boost the livelihood of the beneficiaries and uplift their economic well-being.

According to the governor, the success stories of these farmers must be shared in order to inspire others.

“We are very happy of your presence, at kami ay nagagalak na nakarating ang inyong programa dito sa aming probinsya. Maraming programa from other agencies pero walang success stories dahil di name-maintain. So by the end of this year, dapat may success story ang bawat isa,” he said.

The 12 municipalities which benefited from the equipment included Columbio, Pres. Quirono, Lambayong, Palimbang, Isulan, Lutayan, Esperanza, Sen. Ninoy Aquino, Kalamansig, Lebak, Bagumbayan, and the City of Tacurong.

 

Grateful for assistance

Among the beneficiaries was Abdulkarim Jaafar, municipal coordinator of the Sultan Pax Islamic Institute, who recounted the difficulties of his family in tilling their land due to the lack of farming equipment.

“Ang aming mga ninuno naga farm na. Kaming mga anak naga farm na rin hanggang ngayon pero wala kaming equipment. Ang ginagamit namin sa pagsasaka ay ‘yung pamamaraan noong dati pa na mano mano,” Jaafar shared.

The farming equipment provided under PAMANA, he said, will help farmers increase their production capacity, and at the same time, significantly reduce the time they need to spend in their farms.

“Malaki ang pasasalamat namin na ma-award sa amin ang mga makina na ito para makasabay kami sa pagbabago ng technology. Ang isang hektarya gagawin ‘yun ng ilang araw pero ngayon kaya na ng ilang oras na lang dahil sa mga equipment na ito,” he said.

“Malaking pasasalamat namin sa gobyerno na nagbigay sa mga mahihirap. Ang kahirapan, dyan nagsisimula na mag-rebelde ang tao…Tingnan mo ang mga lugar na umaasenso ang tao, kaya wala nang nag-rerebelde,” Jaafar said.###