Support service facilities to spur economic gains among ARBs

Philippine Information Agency
24 Jan 2021

SAN JOSE, Antique , Jan. 24 (PIA) -- Agrarian reform beneficiaries are expected to boost their farm economic activities with the help of the support facilities from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

DAR Antique Provincial Office recently turned over an estimated P5 million worth of hauling trucks as marketing support to three agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs).

"Ang ini-expect po natin sa mga ARBs after receiving these facilities ay mapa-igi po nila ang kanilang pagnenegosyo kasi yun nga po ang binibuild natin sa kanila hindi lang po ang pagtatanim kundi maging po sila ay maging entrepreneurs," DAR regional director Sheila Enciso said.

Under the project Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS), the Tigmamale Agrarian Reform Cooperative received a delivery truck which is timely in their production and trading of peanuts and palay.

Meanwhile, a mini delivery truck was turned over to the Barbaza Farmers and Irrigators Association (BFIA) through the Linking Small Holder Farmers to Market (LinkSFarM) project.

Presently, BFIA is comprised of 708 members, most of whom are farmers engaged in palay trading.

The Sta. Ana-San Joaquin Agrarian Reform Cooperative (SASJ ARC) in the town of Pandan, on the other hand, got a delivery truck under the Component 1 of the PaSSOver: ARBold move for the Deliverance of our farmers from COVID 19 Pandemic project.

While support services are being provided, Enciso encouraged ARBs to be independent and learn how to stand on their own.

"Yun pong lupa na binigay sa inyo ng gobyerno ay pagyamanin, 'wag isangla, bagkus, ay taniman. Magkaroon kayo ng proper planning para pong itong truck na ito ay araw araw magkakaroon ng delivery na manggaling jan sa inyong mga tinanim," the regional director advised.

For his part, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Florentino Siladan said that DAR has been instrumental in offering support services and projects to the ARBs to highlight their importance for ensuring food security in the country.

"The farmers have experienced the brunt brought by the pandemic, successive typhoons, drought, and cheap imported rice, thus, the farmers deserve all the support that we could provide," Siladan said. (JBG/LML-PIA6 Antique)