Farmers and fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro have received nearly P60 million in government support to modernize agriculture and improve people’s income in the province.

Some 326 members of farmers’ cooperatives and fisherfolk associations benefited from the assistance, which includes farm machinery, post-harvest facilities and production support from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).

The aid package was distributed during the province’s Farmers and Fisherfolk’s Day celebration in Calapan City, with more than P27 million coming from the provincial government to complement national programs.

Governor Humerlito Dolor told recipients to make proper use of the assistance. “We are working hard to provide what you need. You can count on having a governor whose number one sector is agriculture,” he said in a Facebook post.

Vice Governor Antonio “Jojo” Perez Jr, speaking for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, pledged continued support: “The provincial government values the fishing and farming sectors. We know this is a big help to all of you, and we will continue seeking solutions to your problems.”

The assistance forms part of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr’s directive to fast-track mechanization support and improve access to capital and farm inputs.

LGU officials, including Victoria Mayor Richard Inciong and Provincial Agriculturist Christine Pine, expressed appreciation for the agri support, which aims to reduce production costs, increase yields and expand livelihood opportunities.

Beneficiaries thanked the DA, PhilMech and provincial authorities for the assistance, saying it would help sustain food production and improve their incomes.

While Oriental Mindoro benefits from this latest government intervention, neighboring Occidental Mindoro faces similar development hurdles despite considerable agricultural potential.

Occidental Mindoro’s approximately 30,000 hectares of rice lands, extensive coconut plantations, and growing livestock and fisheries sector remain hampered by inadequate infrastructure and limited mechanislzation, the very issues the current assistance program seeks to address.

The western province’s coastal plains and interior highlands are suitable for high-value crops including cacao, coffee and tropical fruits, but poor road networks and post-harvest facilities have restricted market access.

Government mechanization and infrastructure programs now being rolled out in Oriental Mindoro could serve as a template for similar interventions in Occidental Mindoro, potentially unlocking greater agricultural productivity in both provinces.