ARC SAN BENITO

Barangay San Benito is one of the nine barangays of the municipality of Victoria, Laguna. It is adjacent to Barangay Masapang approximately four kilometers from the National Highway. Located North of Laguna de Bay, East of Barangay San Felix, West of Municipality of Calauan. The population of about 1,620 reside in six (6) sitios of 385 hectares flat agricultural land where farming is the main source of income. It has enormous development potentials that is why it was selected and launched as an Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in 1994 after passing must and wants criteria. Before being launched as an ARC in 1994, support services have been extended by the Dutch Rural Development Assistance Program (DRDAP). ARC San Benito is LAD Free since 1997. Its LAD scope is 103 hectares which were already distributed to 165 ARBs.

Various institutional development efforts were identified and implemented by concerned stakeholders aimed at further strengthening, sustaining and safeguarding the gains of San Benito Multi-Purpose Cooperative Inc.(SBMPCI) through the years of its existence. In particular, the infusion of development interventions spearheaded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) sponsored Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (ARISP) II led to a more balanced, comprehensive and responsive provision of package of support services. Coupled with key officials resolute effort and stakeholders' contribution, the SBMPCI is nearing the realization of its vision. The infusion of economic and physical infrastructure support to ARC San Benito under ARISP has enhanced its economic and infrastructure activities. This was manifested by the following; irrigation system expanded and improved, before, irrigation system in ARC San Benito can only irrigate a total of 87 hectares but with the ARISP, the total area being irrigated now is 137 hectares, therefore the number of ARBs availing the irrigation system likewise increased. Credit services such as production, livelihood and multi-purpose loan loans have been availed by ARB who are in need. With regards to farm productivity and income improvement, the contributing factors to the increased includes increased number of adaptors of appropriate farming technologies as initiated by DAR and other concerned stakeholders and line agencies. Technologies introduced and adopted were; use of certified seeds, hybrid rice, high value crops and integrated farming and intercropping. With these technologies, increase in the yield of major crops was evident as the adaptors parlayed these technologies in increase in farm income. The availability and accessibility of health services in ARC San Benito is evident, majority of the ARC households are availing these services, made possible by the consolidated efforts of stakeholders operating in the ARC. Services include vaccines/immunization, family planning program, free medicines, pre-post natal services and presence of Barangay Health Volunteer. The task for the officials of the community to sustain and strengthen its coordinative efforts will be mandatory to ensure that the basic needs of the farmers are met and provided. Under the gender and development, the contribution of women ARBs to ARC development in San Benito is noticeable as manifested by the number of services/projects for women within the ARC and percentage of women ARBs able to access credit services. Several proposed external financing institution initiated projects for women are being lined up to further bolster the participation of women ARBs in the ARC.

The San Benito Multi-Purpose Cooperative Inc. is a recipient of different awards and recognition from the provincial, regional and national level.