Eastern Samar government offers hand tractors to lowly farmers

By ALICE NICART (PIA Eastern Samar)
February 2, 2008

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar  –  Some 312 hand tractors are now ready for distribution at the Department of Agriculture, Office of the Agricultural Services this province (DA-OPAS) to farmers, should they meet the requirements.

This was learned from Mr. Jesus Agda, the Provincial Agriculturist in an interview.

Agda stressed that this is however a loan and not a dole out as wrongly perceived in the past by most rural folks to government assistance.

“This is a loan Governor Evardone entered with  the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in cooperation with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan”, Agda stressed.  “In their desire to help our farmers, they bought these tractors with the borrowed money from the bank, that is why the farmer-beneficiaries should also take in consideration this government initiative,” he added.

He added that the mode of payment is on quarterly basis at P5,000 for three years, but they will have to pay the P6,500 as equity. It was also learned from Mr. Agda that the total cost of the hand tractor is P80,644.

Since it was made known to the farmers of the province, about 28 units of hand tractors have already been given individually to 28 farmers from far Arteche, Dolores and Oras towns.

“But there are still 312 of those tractors waiting for interested takers,” Agda said. All they have to do is comply with the following requirements: first, the applicant must be 18 to 65 years old, he must have a collateral, proof of it is a Tax Declaration for at least half of a hectare, he must enter into a Memorandum of Agreement to be signed by his municipal mayor, Agricultural Technician and lastly, he must submit an accomplished application form with a 2x2 picture.