DAR Davao del Sur Gives Aid to ARBs Amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

During this chaotic and stressful times of COVID 19 pandemic, the Department of Agrarian Reform finds ways and means to extend assistance to the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) who are heavily affected by the pandemic.  Thus, the inception of the DAR Move Project entitled “PaSSOver: ARBold Move to Heal As One Deliverance of ARBs from COVID 19 Pandemic” in response to RA 11469 or "Bayanihan to Heal As One Act".  This ARBold Move project intends to provide immediate and essential support to men and women ARBs to cushion and mitigate the impact of the ongoing community quarantine.

For its part, PARPO II Terso D. Gregorio Sr., of DAR Provincial Office, Davao del Sur immediately called for a kickoff meeting and instructed the Provincial Task Force constituted for this project to expedite everything especially in the procurement of the needed items in just a short span of time like the bags of rice, cartons of sardines, noodles, bath soaps, vitamin C and washable face masks. Fortunately, with the GPPB Resolution No. 09-2020, the procurement of all these items were immediately accomplished in two days’ time. Everybody was mobilized to be able to meet the schedules of distributions in the Five (5) Clustered Municipal Offices covering Ten (10) municipalities and a total of 1,599 ARBs and Leaseholders with a given timeline from May 20 – 29, 2020.                                                                                                                  

DARPO Davao del Sur wasted no time to roll out the distribution of the supplemental food and non-food packs very recently, piloted in the Barangays of Ruparan and Goma, Digos City with 88 ARBs recipients. During the actual distribution, the DAR personnel ensured that the mandate for health emergency protocols like wearing of face masks and social distancing were strictly observed. Likewise, the ARBs were also required to bring the ARB ID Cards issued to them by DAR.  The office is committed to meet the deadline or until May 29, 2020, coupled with the commitment and determination of the concerned provincial and municipal personnel.

 The act of giving aids and assistance to our ARBs and ARBOs and listening to their lamentation for social protection is our definition of “ BETTER NORMAL” amid this COVID 19 pandemic through the implementation of the ARBold Move Project. (PIO Davao del Sur)