Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza speaks before the delegates of the 14th National Palm Oil Congress at Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City on August 28. (Keith Bacongco)
By Keith Bacongco
Published Aug 28, 2026 04:18 pm
DAVAO CITY – Cotabato Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza has underscored the vital role of reliable infrastructure as well as empowerment of farmers in the development of the agriculture sector.
In her speech before the delegates of the 14th National Palm Oil Congress here, Mendoza also emphasized the role of local governments, saying that it should never be just limited to distributing planting materials and farm inputs.
The local government, she said, must become an ecosystem builder while the Department of Agriculture (DA) provides national policy and resources; banks provide financing; and private companies provide technology as well as market access.
Mendoza said that local governments should turn farmers into productive assets to avoid creating dependency.
“The government provides the right starting input, the knowledge, and the technical support. But the farmer takes responsibility for the investment,” she said while referring to the provincial government’s program called Plant Now, Take Care (PNTC).
Under the program, the provincial government distributes high-quality oil palm seedlings to qualified local farmers.
She explained that under the scheme, beneficiaries who could successfully achieve an 85% survival rate for the seedlings during the first year, they do not have to pay back or return the cost of the planting materials.
From 2012 to 2026, according to the governor, the PNTC investments have reached approximately P272 million, benefiting 3,640 farmers and establishing 7,497.94 hectares of oil palm across the province.
In 2026 alone, Mendoza added, the program allocated P35 million, benefiting 521 farmers and establishing approximately 942.5 hectares of oil palm farms.
“These are not just numbers in a government accomplishment report. They represent farms. They represent families,” she said before the delegates.
When government assistance is linked to responsibility, accountability, and actual farm productivity, the governor further said, public resources transform into long-term economic assets.
Mendoza also called for stronger cooperatives and farmer organizations to be able to aggregate production, negotiate better terms, access financing as well as a better transport system.
Moreover, Mendoza also underscored the role of reliable infrastructures in the development of the oil palm industry since its produce is particularly dependent on efficient logistics.
“That means farm-to-market roads matter. Bridges, collection points, hauling facilities, drainage and transport matters,” she said before the delegates of the two-day event that culminated today, August 28.
Mendoza also noted that agricultural policy and infrastructure policy cannot be treated separately. “Infrastructure must follow the value chain. And the provincial government will continue to advocate for infrastructure investments.”
Under the Department of Agriculture's Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up, Mendoza said, the province has a portfolio of approximately P996 million in priority infrastructure and water-system investments aimed at improving connectivity, water access, and rural productivity.
“These are not merely construction projects. If properly planned, they become economic infrastructure. They reduce logistics costs. They improve market access. They make farms more viable. And they make investment more attractive,” she added.
Furthermore, the governor also acknowledged the role of technology in producing reliable data in the agriculture sector.
Mendoza said that farmers should maximize all available modern technology such as drones, remote sensing, farm monitoring systems and data-driven fertilizer application,
She also emphasized the value of having accurate data to be able to appropriately respond to the needs of farmers.
Organized by the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council, Inc, the event gathered industry leaders, experts, stakeholders, and partners for a two-day discussion on networking opportunities, and the latest developments in the Philippine palm oil industry.
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