Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has boosted the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) here in Zamboanga Peninsula through the distribution of 1,030.04 hectares of agricultural lands to the landless farmers and provision of PhP 65.95-million worth of support services package to enhance their agricultural productivity.
DAR Secretary Brother John Castriciones, along with other top officials, distributed lands covering 455.3919 hectares (has.) benefitting 353 ARBs for Zamboanga del Sur; 446.0188 has. benefitting 282 ARBs for Zamboanga Sibugay and 128.6243 has. benefiting 72 ARBs for Zamboanga del Norte.
Brother John said the DAR would definitely improve the lives of these 707 ARBs as they have now lands of their own to till and their yields would help in securing the region’s food security.
The Secretary also led the turn-over ceremony of the Department’s various support services projects to the agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) of Zamboanga Peninsula to further develop the farming communities in the region.
Brother John said the provision of support services packages include among others, infrastructure facilities such as farm-to-market roads and multipurpose building warehouses, farm machineries like hauling, delivery trucks, and water pumps; and livelihood project like farm inputs, breeding goats and poultry raising, benefitting 21,742 members of recipients-ARBOs.
Castriciones added that there were programs initiated before by other government agencies to the farming communities but the problem is it does not provide much impact to the farmers since the programs were not in consonance with what they need in their lives, the reason why the farmers, for the longest time, feel that they are victims of social injustices, which Castriciones said he don’t want to happen in this administration.
“Gusto naming sabihin sa inyo na ang pamahalaan ay mahal na mahal ang mga magsasaka. Binigyan kayo ng suportang nagkakahalaga sa P65-milyong piso para sa inyong rehiyon upang mapaunlad ang inyong mga pamumuhay,” he said.
Support Services Office Undersecretary Emily Padilla advised the ARBs that they should join farmers’ organizations so that they would be assured to receive various projects from the government.
“Our commitment to the farmers is to help and support them in boosting their economic lives,” she said.
Pagadian City Mayor Samuel Co, for his part, said that he appreciates the effort of DAR officials for the success of the Department’s undertaking to help the farmers in their region.
Funds to implement various programs of DAR in Zamboanga Peninsula came from: Project COnVERGE (Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment), PhP44.76-million; Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Projects (CLAAP), PhP 12.11-million; Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP), PhP6.56-million; Village Level Farm Focused and Enterprise Development (VLFED) Project, PhP 2.45-million and Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) PhP 60,000.
