Agrarian Reform Secretary Brother John Castriciones believed that the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries’ (ARBs) in northern Negros Occidental would become better after they received a total of Php2.83 million livelihood assistance and support services packages from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental I.

“The DAR not aims to distribute lands to the landless farmers, we also ensure that the ARBs would be able to enrich these lands and make their lives productive,” Brother John commented on the project turn over which recently transpired in Bacolod City.

Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer Rizalina Yuguing from the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD) said, 182 ARBs and their respective families and communities from the six (6) ARB Organizations (ARBOs) would benefit from the livelihood support provided by the DAR under the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Project (CLAAP).

Included among the P2.4 million worth of assistance turned over to the 5 ARBOs are farm productivity support packages awarded to Ma-aslob ARB Association in Barangay Ma-aslob, Calatrava; Sitio Calaptan Sta. Ana Ascalon Farmers Association in Barangay San Isidro, EB Magalona; and Merian Small Farmers Association, Inc. and Barangay San Pablo Farmworkers Association, both in Barangay San Pablo, Manapla; while a sugarcane production bundle was provided to San Jose United Agrarian Reform Farmers Association in Barangay San Jose, Toboso.

In a separate turnover ceremony, a small-scale duck egg production project worth Php430,000.00 and implemented under the Sustainable Livelihood Support, a sub-component of Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support, was provided by the DAR to Hacienda Sto. Niño United Farmworkers Association in Manapla.

After the turnover of projects, the DAR conducted technical capacity development, including coaching and mentoring on fertilizer trading and management, enterprise-based organizing, and market assistance for the beneficiaries.

“Our ARBOs would be able to plan, set up, start, and operate their livelihood business undertakings through the provision of seed capital, business training, and technical marketing assistance services,” Yuguing said.

Meanwhile, Manapla Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ma. Victoria Delgado said they are working to help farmer-beneficiaries optimize the use of the lands awarded to them through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

“Our mission is to provide and create income-generating opportunities for our ARBs to help all of them earn a steady and sufficient income through livelihood and micro-enterprises,” Delgado said.

Naniniwala si Agrarian Reform Secretary Brother John Castriciones na ang pamumuhay ng mga agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) sa Negros Occidental I ay mas magiging maayos pagkatapos nilang makatanggap ng Php2.83 milyong tulong pang-kabuhayan at bungkos ng mga suportang serbisyo mula sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) sa Negros Occidental I.

“Ang DAR ay hindi lamang namimigay ng lupa sa mga magsasakang walang lupain, siniseguro din naming na ang mga ARBs ay mapagyayaman ang kanilang lupain at magiging produktibo ang kanilang pamumuhay,” komento ni Brother John sa naganap na pamamahagi tulong pangkabuhayan sa Bacolod City.

Ayon kay Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer Rizalina Yuguing ng Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD), may 182 ARBs at kanilang mga pamilya at komunidad mula sa anim (6) na mga ARB Organization (ARBOs) ang makikinabang sa tulong pangkabuhayan na ipinagkaloob ng DAR sa ilalim ng Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Project (CLAAP).

Nakapaloob sa P2.4 milyong halaga ng suporta sa 5 ARBOs and bungkos ng productivity support na ipinagkaloob sa Ma-aslob ARB Association sa Barangay Ma-aslob, Calatrava; Sitio Calaptan Sta. Ana Ascalon Farmers Association sa Barangay San Isidro, EB Magalona; at Merian Small Farmers Association, Inc. at Barangay San Pablo Farmworkers Association, na parehong taga- Barangay San Pablo, Manapla; samantalang isang sugarcane production naman ang ipinagkaloob sa at San Jose United Agrarian Reform Farmers Association sa Barangay San Jose, Toboso.

Sa hiwalay na seremonya, isang maliit na negosyo ng pagpaparami ng itlog ng bibe na nagkakahalaga ng Php 430,000.00 at ipinatupad sa ilalim ng Sustainable Livelihood Support, na sub-component ng Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support, ang ipinagkaloob ng DAR sa Hacienda Sto. Niño United Farmworkers Association sa Manapla.

Pagkatapos ng pamamahagi ng mga proyekto, ang DAR ay nagsagawa ng technical capacity development, kasama ang coaching and mentoring sa fertilizer trading at management, enterprise-based organizing, at market assistance para sa mga benepisyaryo.

“Magkakaroon ang ating mga ARBOs ng kakayahan upang magplano, mag-set up, mag-umpisa at mamahala ng livelihood business dahil sa mga ipagkakaloob na pang- seed capital, business training, at technical marketing assistance services,” ani Yuguing.

Sinabi naman ni Manapla Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ma. Victoria Delgado na ginagawa ng ahensiya ito upang tulungan ang mga magsasakang benepisyaryo na mapakiinabangan ng husto ang mga lupang tinanggap nila mula sa Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

“Ang ating misyon ay makapagbigay ng income-generating opportunities sa mga ARBs upang matulungan silang mayroon silang ng mapagkakitaan sa tulong ng livelihood at micro-enterprises,” ani Delgado.