Negros Occidental ARBO distributes relief goods to members affected by Covid-19 crisis
Officers of the San Juan Torena ARC distributes relief packs to its members and other residents of the nearby community.
To lessen the burden caused by Covid-19 to their farmer-members, even just for a few days, the San Juan Torena Agrarian Reform Cooperative (SJTARC), located in Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, gave out food packs to 70 household recipients – who are mostly members and non-agrarian reform beneficiaries belonging to the neighboring community.
SJTARC, a Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-assisted agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organization (ARBO), distributed relief packs consisting of 5 kilograms of rice, 3 packs of noodles, a pack of dried fish, and 10 pieces of fresh eggs – straight from their harvest.
“This activity aims to address, even just for a week, the struggles of farmers in finding their next meals, due to loss of income, less mobilization or access to food sources brought about by the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) crisis. Knowing that we are helping others is hugely empowering and, in turn, makes us happier and more fulfilled,” Rodney B. Cornoso, Chairman of SJTARC said.
Officers and members of the cooperative worked tirelessly the whole week to pack the goods and noted that their generosity and goodwill is only an act of returning the kindness among its fellow farmers and farm workers. “It inspires us more and this is what we need amid these trying times brought by the COVID–19 pandemic,” Cornoso added
San Juan Torena ARC, a humble ARBO with a total of 33 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), located in Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, manages the 61.4223 hectares of land they acquired under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
“The generosity amidst the unprecedented time of crisis is what we need today to remind us that we must also consider and be mindful of the needs of others” Cornoso said.
DAR Negros Occidental 1 (North) OIC-Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Teresita Mabunay said the DAR will continually capacitate and mold the various organizations in the province for them to become an effective, efficient, and model associations and citizens of the nation.
“Farmers are the country’s unsung heroes, working day and night to deliver food straight to our tables. They are frontliners in the production of food, an essential commodity during this Enhanced Community Quarantine period. Farmers are as important as our medical personnel attending and providing intensive care to the disease-stricken patients,” Mabunay said.
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