By EUGENE ADIONG
MOISES PADILLA — A modern agricultural and vocational training center for farmers, out-of-school youth and indigent students will rise in Brgy. Odiong here.
It will be put up on a two-hectare property donated by philanthropist Merceditas Javellana Montilla.
Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., on behalf of the provincial government, received the deed of donation from Montilla here yesterday.
He said the facility will “provide short vocational courses for the youth not only in Moises Padilla but also in the surrounding towns of La Castellana and Isabela.”
Taking short courses that provide skills that can help students land a job right after completing them is the current trend in education, said Marañon.
He said he dreams of “better productivity for farmers in the province” considering that “many of [them remain] poor.”
Marañon said the training center will teach modern means of agricultural production.
“The Department of Agriculture gave the province eight units of rice combine harvesters to increase rice productivity to eight percent and lower wastage to three percent,” he said. In the manual harvest of rice, “wastage is 11 percent.”
He also thanked Montilla for donating her prime property.
Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia–Yulo said the project would open new opportunities for her young constituents.
For her part, Montilla said, “I can’t stand to see our children sitting on top of carabaos all the time. I want them to learn modern technologies in farming through the training center.”
She said she hopes her act would encourage other Montilla family members to share a part of their vast properties with the people.
Marañon said Montilla will donate three more properties to the provincial government, but he did not disclose where and for what.
Montilla donated the property in Sipalay City where the provincial government built the Merceditas J. Montilla District Hospital.
Montilla was recognized by the provincial government as an Outstanding Negrense in the field of community service last year.
Also present in yesterday’s event were 5th District Rep. Alejandro Mirasol; Sangguniang Panlalawigan members Alain Gatuslao, Jose Benito Alonzo and Salvador Escalante Jr.; and Odiong Barangay Captain Pedro Magquilat Jr./PN
