DAR Agusan Sur links farmers goods as LGU's aid during COVID-19

2,000 sacks of rice from FASRMCO were delivered to the

Local Government of Rosario in Agusan del Sur

Rosario, Agusan del Sur – As the nation faced the challenge wrought by COVID-19, the Department of Agrarian Reform Agusan del Sur has initiated to help the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) to become economically sustainable by linking them to possible buyers for their produce.

This initiative is an answer to the call of President Duterte under the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act (RA 11469) while placing the nation in a state of national calamity.

The Farmers Alternative for Self- Reliance Multi-Purpose Cooperative FASRMCO) in partnership with the La Fortuna Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LAMUPOCO) has recently delivered a total of 2000 sacks of milled rice to the Local Government Unit of Rosario, Agusan del Sur which will be used as an aid for the affected constituents of the Municipality while the province is placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

FASRMCO Manager Ruben Isiderio himself is thankful for the assistance of DAR as the move has benefited more than 500 farmer-beneficiaries. "Thank you very much, DAR, for helping us in finding ways to dispose of our produce. This is a big help to our members who were also an Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries.” He said. “Thank you as well to Mayor Jupiter Abulog for considering our ARBO to supply the rice demand of your Municipality, indeed this is a big help to the farmers like us in this time of crisis." He added.

PARPO Jamil P. Amatonding Jr. has always emphasized prioritizing the farmers and reach out to their needs especially that in this time of crisis, they are the ones who are the most affected. “We have partnered our ARBOs to the Local Government Units and other entities to supply the demands of their respective Municipalities to ensure that the farmers will not be left behind while the rest are fighting against this dreadful virus.” He said.

DAR Provincial Investment and Marketing Assistance Officer (PIMAO) Corine G. Munion said that they are currently working on helping other ARBOs to partner with other Municipalities. “We are scheduled to deliver another batch of milled rice to Prosperidad in the coming days, thus we encourage other rice-producing ARBOs like BBIDAI, LAMPUFACO, SIA, and BUENASAMCO so that they too can participate. (Rechel D. Besonia, PIO-Agusan Sur)