THE Department of Agriculture (DA) - Regional Field Office 3 (RFO 3) turned over a coffee processing facility to New Hermosa Farmers Association at Barangay Mabiga in Hermosa town in Bataan the other day.
The project was funded under DA RFO 3 - High Value Crops Development Program amounting to P949,757.80. The fund was sourced from DA RFO 3- HVCDP Regular Fund for FY 2022.
The turnover ceremony was led by Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban of the National High Value Crops Development Program with DA RFO 3 Field Operations Chief Elma Mananes, Regional HVCDP Program Coordinator Engr. AB David, Agricultural Program Coordinator of Bataan Ms. Marilou Ramos, and Mr. Jose Jeffrey Rodriguez and Paolo Tatlonghari from the office of High Value Crops and Rural Credit.
The facility will surely help the members of the association raise the level of their competency in making high-quality coffee products from their locally-harvested coffee beans.
Elma Mananes, on behalf of Regional Executive Director Crispulo Bautista, Jr., congratulated the New Hermosa Farmers Association for being the beneficiary of the said facility. She is optimistic that this facility will increase the members income out of farming and processing coffee. “Iyon naman po lagi ang hangad ng Department of Agriculture para sa mga magsasaka na magkaroon ng dagdag na kita para makatulong sa pamumuhay ng ating mga magsasaka,” she said.
Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban on the other hand asked the farmers and the local government officials to work together in order to adapt the appropriate assistance. “Ang gusto natin ay maging sustainable ang ginagawa natin. Kung ano pong akma na teknolohiya ay iyon po ang aming ibibigay sa inyo,” he added.
Godofredo Felipe, the chairman of the association, thanked DA for granting them the facility and promised that with the help of the local government, the sustainability of the facility and their livelihood is guaranteed.
Hermosa, Bataan Municipal Mayor Hon. Antonio Joseph Inton, Provincial Agricuturist Engr. Johanna Dizon, Municipal Agriculturist Vincent Mangulabnan, and other local officials of Bataan were also present during the said activity.