More than 400 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan province are expected to boost their farming operations as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provided their organizations with P6,742,000.00 worth of farm machines and tractors.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the turnover of farm machines and tractors to uplift the lives of farmer members from the two (2) agrarian reform beneficiaries' organizations in Palawan.

The Bono-Bono Gintong Butil Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Bataraza agrarian reform community was provided with 1 unit harvester with trailer and 1 unit 4-wheel drive tractor with rotary tiller worth P3,498,000.00.

The Malalong-Binasbas Agriculture Cooperative received 1 unit hauling truck with a 6-wheeler drop side worth P3,244,000.00.

Estrella said the initiative is a testament to the DAR's commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of farmers and ensuring that the ARBs will have access to the resources for them to help contribute to the growth of the local economy.

"With the farm machinery and equipment, these organizations can now provide services to their ARB members, adjoining ARB organizations, and other small farmers in the community," Estrella said.

DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Rowena Niña Taduran, who assisted the Secretary in the turnover ceremony said, the farm machine, tractor, and hauling truck will address DAR's initiative to modernize farming practices of the ARBs and address the farmers' need for easier farming and cheaper transportation of their produce.

"The hauling truck will serve as an added service of ARBOs to its members and non-member farmers. It will lessen their problem of expensive rentals, while the tractor and thresher will help make farming easier and faster," Taduran said.

Lovimen Gallego, Chairman of the Malalong-Binasbas Agrarian Cooperative, on behalf of its members, expressed his gratitude and pledged to take care of the truck they received.

"This hauling truck would make delivery of our harvests and products easier and faster. It will also increase our savings as we will no longer rent private hauling trucks for our deliveries. We thank the DAR for listening to our concerns, and for providing us with this badly needed hauling truck," Gallego said.

Out of the total of P6.7 million in farm machines and tractors, P3,498,000.00 was procured under the DAR's Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project program, while the P3,244,000.00 hauling truck was provided through the Agrarian Reform Fund.