Governor Davide tries out one of the mobile corn mills that the Cebu Provincial government recently purchased to help ease farmers’ financial burden in milling corn.
The Cebu provincial government recognized 10 outstanding Farmer-Scientist Training Program (FSTP) alumni in the province for increased farm production.
Gov. Hilario Davide III awarded plaques in the 8th FSTP Congress held at the Minglanilla Sports Complex last Nov. 11.
Also in attendance were his uncle agriculture consultant Dr. Romulo G. Davide who is paid P1 a year, Minglanilla Mayor Elenito Peña and Department of Agriculture (DA) assistant regional director Marina Hermoso.
Gov. Davide reiterated that the 45 of the 51 component cities and towns, which joined the FSTP program, will get P1 million from the Capitol next year.
“Sa Enero o Pebrero sunod tuig, mogawas na ang mga ayuda (P1 million) sa mga lungsod nga adunay FSTP,” he said.
Gov. Davide praised the LGUs for accepting the program as it has been proven effective in increasing the income of farmers.
The Provincial Agriculturist Office distributed farm sprayers, drip irrigation units and camote cuttings at the Congress.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale also assured the one thousand participants of the Provincial Board’s continued support of the FSTP.
The awardees were Prescillo Albores of Sudlon II, Cebu City; Emma Bebanco of Poro, Camotes; Vitalian Borja of Cogon, Tuburan; Jovencio Lanticse of Argao; Jorge Llego of Ronda; Joseph Montanes of Argao; Arlene Montejo of Sudlon II Cebu City; Columbos Radan of Jagbuaya, Tuburan; Cesar Ramil of Taba-ao, Tabogon; and Vicente Ybañez of Bantayan, Cebu.
The awardees were called exemplary agri-entrepreneurs. They are, in the words of Dr. Davide, those “napugos ug ka dato” by following the FSTP formula: “Kugi, Kusog, Antus Ampo plus Merkado.”
Columbos Radan, 62, said his income from corn multiplied after becoming a farmer-scientist in 2004.
Before he joined FSTP, Radan said his annual income from his one-hectare farm was only around P30 thousand.
After learning and adopting the best technology in FSTP, his annual income rose to P515 thousand.
“Ako man gi-record ang abot sa akong uma. Dili nimo mamatikdan nga mao ni imong kita kay magasto mana nimo kada adlaw. Pero tungod sa FSTP nakapaeskuyla kos lima naku ka anak sa college,” he said.
Radan was also able to buy two motorcycles. He also plans to buy the farmland he is leasing for P2 thousand a year.
He said the owner already expressed interest to sell the property for P1.2 million.
“Paningkamotan nako nga ako ang makapalit pinaagi sa abot sa akong panguma,” he further said.
Radan said he will also plant squash side by side with the corn and eggplants in a separate strip.
Emma Bebanco, a neophyte farmer-scientist who is only in her third planting season, said she already experienced the benefits of FSTP.
She was to able to generate a net production of 500 kilos of corn from her one-hectare farm in the previous season.
She said FSTP taught them how to maximize the utilization of their farm. Aside from planting corn, she said they also learned to intercrop it with coconuts, peanuts and mung beans.
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