DAR-PAHP to enhance its service to the farmers

The Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) held its planning and program assessment to improve its service to the farmers in reducing poverty in the countryside.

The PAHP is a convergence of services by DAR, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Interior and Local Government and other participating government agencies to sustainably reduce poverty and hunger nationwide.

Support Services Office (SSO) Undersecretary Emily Padilla said that PAHP’s goal is to connect 5,228 agrarian reform beneficiaries or the agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) to an institutional buyer for them to have an established market.

“We are currently talking with institutionalized markets like Lazada and Gerry’s Grill, which has 117 branches, so that our ARBs would have regular markets to supply their farm products,” Padilla said.

She added that as the current PAHP would be launched into an Enhanced PAHP, they would approach other institutions like Department of Health, Department of Education, DSWD, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and other government agencies, where the ARBs could also supply their produces.

Meanwhile, Policy, Planning and Research Office Undersecretary Virgina Orogo said that PAHP program is not just for the farmers because while it boost the lives of the farmers, it also ensures there would have food security in the country.

“We can achieve this by providing our farmers with support services packages as soon as they receive the lands awarded to them,” Orogo said.

DAR-PAHP has covered 27 provinces for 2019, which include Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Quirino, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur I, Camarines Sur II, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Zamboanga Norte, Zamboanga Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Misamis Occidental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

Ms. Susan Gambalan from DAR-SSO said the expected output after this event are the resolution of issues and concerns on program implementation and the indicative program directive for the the year 2020.

The even is being held in Circulo Verde, Quezon City from December 3-5, 2019 .

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