I watched part of Ted Failon’s documentary “Wakas ng Paggapas” which focuses on the state of the Philippine Rice Industry in the face of the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law.
The segment which alleged that defective equipment was given out to farmers, however, seemed to suggest that the Department of Agriculture (DA) procured and distributed the equipment during my time as Secretary.
It should have been clarified when the defective equipment was purchased.
In the case of the Pigcawayan farmer who complained that he had a defective farm implement, a validation made showed that the equipment was purchased long before the Duterte Presidency.
During my term, I emphasized that farmers’ preference should be given consideration in the purchase of farm equipment.
In fact, I was very critical of the way agricultural facilities and equipment were purchased in the past.
When I took over as Secretary of Agriculture, there were several Rice Processing Centers which were either not completed or inoperational because of simple problems like electrical connections.
Agri trading centers were left idle because the farmers were not organized while hundreds of millions worth of equipment were left to rust under the elements because farners could not produce the financial counterparts.
We worked on the problem and distributed the equipment.
Problems of defective equipment could happen.
Even big car companies produce lemons and sometimes recall defective models.
It happens and there are ways to correct it but to suggest that there was massive corruption because one or two groups of farmers are not happy is grossly inaccurate and unfair.
Let me also clarify that in the DA, the procurement of equipment is done by the regional offices following government procurement regulations.
By the way, I was amused to see farmers complain about the heavy rice thresher that they had to carry to the middle of the rice fields.
Baliktad man yan!
Dito sa Cotabato, ang ginapas na palay ang hinahakot papunta sa lugar kung saan naka pundar ang thresher, kadalasan malapit sa kalsada para madali lang ikarga sa trak ang palay na na thresher.
Kung thresher ang bitbitin mo kung saan ang ginapas na palay, mahihirapan ka talaga mag karga kasi mabigat talaga ang bakal.
Baka mapilayan pa kayo.
Also, on the complaint na bakit daw kinabitan ng gulong ang thresher na di naman daw kayang ipasok sa palayan.
Talaga namang may gulong ang thresher kasi paano mo ipahila yan sa “kuliglig” o kalabaw para ilipat sa ibat ibang area kung walang gulong?
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