As part of the deliverables of the proposed Abaca Fiber Processing and Marketing subproject, the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project 10 (DA-PRDP 10) hands in 1 unit hauling truck to Dulag Farmers Association (DUFA) through the City Government of Iligan held in Dulag, Iligan City on June 24, 2020.

In his message, Larry Paraluman, Enterprise Development and Marketing Specialist of IREAP-10, said that this is only the beginning. “The hauling truck is just the first tranche of the assistance that the DA-PRDP will be giving to DUFA. Soon you will have more equipment that will enhance your production making it more efficient and easier. We hope that with this assistance, it will help your cooperative achieve better results in your production, thus, we ask you to take care of it.”

Accepting the hauling truck, Manny Layatan, DUFA president, promised to take heed of the assistance received. “By receiving this assistance from DA-PRDP, we promise to utilize it with utmost care. This is the beginning of a better life not just for us farmers in Dulag, but to the farmers of other hinterland barangays in Iligan as well.”

The 1.9 million truck is part of the Php 3,784,338.04 of the proposed subproject of DUFA for their Abaca Fiber Processing and Marketing subproject. This is beneficial to DUFA for hauling and delivery of abaca fiber to their buyers, ensuring its quality and lesser travel time. The second tranche will include 1 unit baling machine, 1 unit decorticating machine, and 2 units of weighing scale that is expected to be turned-over in the third quarter of this year. The realization of the project will boost the economic activities of more than 50 abaca farmers in Iligan, Lanao del Norte.

Present on the said turn over are IREAP 10 Business Development Officer Mischelle Egama, Iligan Councilor Sorilie Christine Bacsarpa, City Administrator Leony Roy Ga, City Planning and Monitoring Unit Project Coordinator Venerando Bordeos and staff, Dulag Barangay Captain Sainodin Nato, representatives of Landbank, Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, and farmer members of DUFA. (Cyrus Seraspe/ InfoACE 10)