Farmers in Maco, Davao de Oro, expressed gratitude to the national government on Tuesday afternoon for turning over PHP6.7 million worth of Kadiwa facilities and launching the PHP20 per kilogram rice program, “Benteng Bigas Meron Na,” spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11).

The PHP6.7 million package includes an upgraded Bagsakan Center, a cold storage facility, and a hauling truck under the Kadiwa Financial Grant Assistance Program.

Giovanni Mondaya, a farmer from Maco, said the hauling truck will ease the transport of produce to neighboring towns.

“It is now easy for us to bring our produce to the market,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.

The project is expected to benefit 12 farmers’ associations and cooperatives in the Masara line barangays of Maco, covering around 500 farmer-members.

Mondaya also welcomed the PHP20 rice program, citing its importance amid rising fuel prices. The initiative aims to provide affordable rice to communities through the government’s Kadiwa network.

Implemented by DA-11 Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division in partnership with the Maco local government unit, the project seeks to strengthen post-harvest handling and transport support, reduce losses, improve product quality, and establish stronger market linkages.

Lawyer Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, DA assistant secretary for Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs, emphasized that the intervention enhances farmers’ access to markets.

“This strengthens our Kadiwa program by ensuring farmers have the necessary support for consolidation, storage, and transport of their produce,” she said.

DA-11 Regional Director Macario D. Gonzaga underscored the importance of hauling support amid rising fuel costs.

“With the increasing price of gasoline, transporting agricultural products has become more challenging. Through this support, we aim to ease that burden by providing a more efficient system for consolidation and delivery,” Gonzaga said in a statement Wednesday. (PNA)