Mr. Jose Orena, 70, expresses his intention to shift to mechanized transplanting after experiencing its benefits through PHilMech’s project on crop establishment dubbed as “𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢, 𝙋𝙪𝙨𝙝 𝙉𝙖 ‘𝙔𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙖 𝙋𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙣”, which concluded on March 15 at Barangay Santiago, Binalonan, Pangasinan.
“Kung mabibigyan ako ng pagkakataon na magamit ulit ang mga materyales para sa dapog at transplanter, gagamitin na namin ito ng tuloy-tuloy dahil sobrang laki po ng reduction sa labor cost, mas madali ang operasyon at tiyak na mas makakamura kami,” Orena emphasized.
The season-long technology demonstration started on December 6, 2022, and covers Orena’s 1.6-hectare farm. The modified dapog system was used in the seedling preparation, a technology innovated by Mr. Maurice Padiernos of Gapan, Nueva Ecija.
Four different settings were used during the demonstration, a 30 cm X 14cm and a 30cm X 21cm spacing for the walk-behind and riding-type transplanter.
Aside from the lower labor cost and easier operation, PHilMech collaborators like Mr. Orena have experienced an increase in their average yield.
This program was made possible by collaborating with the municipal and provincial local government units of Binalonan and Pangasinan. This year, PHilMech will conduct the same activity in at least 10 rice-producing provinces included in the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Mechanization Program.
