A TOTAL of ₱133 million worth of agricultural assistance was turned over to farmers and fisherfolk in Davao de Oro early this week in a bid to improve farm productivity, strengthen food security, and modernize the province's agriculture and fisheries sectors.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., together with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., led the ceremonial turnover of farm machinery, production inputs, and livelihood support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies during the President's visit to the province on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
The distribution was held at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Barangay Cabidianan, Nabunturan, where agricultural communities from across Davao de Oro received equipment and farm inputs to increase their production efficiency while lowering operational costs.
Among the farm inputs distributed were a rice combine harvester and a four-wheel tractor, which are aimed at mechanizing farming operations to reduce post-harvest losses, improve harvesting efficiency, and ease labor requirements for rice farmers.
The assistance package also included high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes for vegetable irrigation systems, four motorized fiberglass fishing boats for fisherfolk, and a range of agricultural production inputs under the government's rice, corn, and fisheries programs.
These interventions consisted of tilapia fingerlings, certified inbred rice seeds, hybrid rice seeds, fertilizers, and various corn production support inputs intended to increase yields and improve farm resilience.
"These interventions reflect the government's continued commitment to helping and empowering farming and fishing communities, boosting agricultural productivity, and building a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector in the region," DA Regional Executive Director Macario D. Gonzaga said.
The event also featured the rollout of the Department of Agriculture's "Kadiwa Benteng Bigas Meron Na!" initiative, through which 14,000 kilograms of affordable rice were distributed to identified beneficiaries to improve access to low-cost staple food. DEF
