The Department of Labor and Employment recently turned over the Integrated Food Processing for coffee, banana, and sweet potato to the Tongo Integrated Farmers Association (TIFA) of Himamaylan City.
TIFA, led by its president Roy Gonzales and the Brgy. Cabadiangan Council welcomed the DOLE representatives during the turnover ceremony at Sitio Tongo, January 26, a press release said..
The value-adding machinery, including a coffee roaster and thresher, worth P1,000,000 came from the Assisted Livelihood Project under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP-Kabuhayan).
A total of 51 farmer-members of TIFA are expected to benefit from this project.
Mayor Raymund Tongson was represented by executive assistants Clen Retiro and Emmanuel Castro, and Special Projects Consultant Analee Degoma. Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao, councilors Aly Tongson Jr., and Janet Villafranca also joined the turnover.
“We are deeply grateful to DOLE representatives Carmella Abellar, Rosalie Guilaran, and Elmer Guimay for facilitating this turnover together with our partners from the Department of Trade and Industry,” Mayor Tongson said.
Tongson said the turnover of the project is just one of the collaborations of the city government with various government agencies, non-profit groups, and institutions to deliver financial and technical support to farmers, fisherfolk, and local producers of Himamaylan.*