Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga – “This is worth waiting for,” exclaimed newly promoted Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer (MARPO) Loida L. Jones after the virtual oath of office administered by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John R. Castriciones.

MARPO Loida is one of the sixty-four (64) newly promoted and newly appointed personnel of DAR-Caraga.

She said that it is with great honor that the DAR management has entrusted its trust and confidence in her to finally be included as one of the managers in the municipal office.

“The quote from Thomas A. Edison always inspires me even after facing failures in my wish to be promoted -- ‘Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time’,” Jones said.

She disclosed that she has been in the department for 24 years and along the way, there were times when she failed. However, she did not stop trying.

“It is essential to have that patience within yourself until you actually reach the goal,” she said.

Jones said that this is a great responsibility but a fulfilling one, especially when she sees that she can help agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) by performing her job to the best of her ability.

“I am very happy that our personnel who deserve to be promoted are finally recognized. Some of them are serving the government for years and it is only now that they are given the opportunity to climb up,” Castriciones said.

Castriciones advised them that they should do their best to serve the public and the people.

“I am so honored to see all of you, dedicated and talented members of the team at the DAR. I firmly believe that all of you will become valuable assets of our beloved agency,” DAR-Caraga regional director Leomides R. Villareal said.

Villareal said public service is a noble calling and an honorable act that requires dedication and commitment to perform its sacred functions and duties.

“As you take your oath, may you always be reminded of that passion to render unconditional service, as public servants of the Department of Agrarian Reform, to the Filipino people,” Villareal said.

He disclosed that at the DAR, the calling in the public service is to work with the marginalized farmers and peasants who for years have suffered from injustices brought about by landlessness and the lack of opportunities to access programs and services both in the government and private sectors.

“At the DAR, we are implementing comprehensive programs and services for the empowerment of our farmers who benefited from the agrarian reform program of the government,” he added.

Villareal stressed that these programs and services were realized through the pledge and commitment the DAR officials and personnel to become good public servants.

Among the 64 employees, forty-three (43) are newly promoted and twenty-one (21) are new appointees. The four (4) new appointees are new applicants and sixteen (16) are not new to the DAR-Caraga as they have served under a contract of service (COS) for several years.

Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga – “Nagbunga rin ang matiyagang paghihintay,” ito ang bulalas ng bagong promote na Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer na si Loida L. Jones pagkatapos ng birtwal na panunumpa sa panunungkulan na pinamunuan ni DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones.

Si MARPO Loida ay isa sa animnaput-apat (64) na bagong promote at naitalagang kawani sa DAR-Caraga.

Sinabi niya na malaking karangalan ang ibinigay na tiwala at kumpiyansa ng pamunuan ng DAR na makasama sa wakas bilang isang MARPO.

“Ang quote mula kay Thomas A. Edison ay palaging nagbibigay-inspirasyon sa akin sa pagharap sa mga pagkabigo sa aking hangarin na ma-promote - 'Ang ating pinakadakilang kahinaan ay nakasalalay sa ating pagsuko. Ang pinaka-tiyak na paraan upang magtagumpay ay ang palagiang pagsubok ng isa pang beses’,” sambit ni Jones.

Ipinahayag niya na dalawamput-apat na taon na syang nagsisisilbi sa kagawaran at may mga panahon na nabigo sya. Gayunpaman, siya ay hindi nagpapigil sa mga pagkabigo bagkus sya ay nagpatuloy sa pagsubok.

“Mahalaga na magkaroon ng pasensya sa iyong sarili hanggang sa maabot mo ang iyong hangarin,” aniya

Ayon kay Jones, ito ay isang malaking responsibilidad ngunit isang katuparan, lalo na kapag nakita niyang nakakatulong siya sa mga agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) sa pamamagitan ng pagganap ng trabaho sa abot ng kanyang makakaya.

“Masaya ako para sa ating mga kawani na karapat-dapat na ma-promote ay mabigyan ng rekognisyon. Ang ilan sa kanila ay nagbigay serbisyo na ng napakaraming taon subalit ngayon lang sila nagkaroon ng oportunidad upang umangat.” Castriciones said.

Pinaalalahanan sila ni Castriciones na gawin nila ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang magkaloob ng tunay na serbisyo sa publiko at sa mga tao.

“Ikinagagalak ko na makita kayong lahat, mga kasapi ng DAR na may dedikasyon at talento. Naniniwala ako na kayong lahat ay magiging mahalagang kasapi ng ating minamahal na ahensya,” ani DAR-Caraga regional director Leomides R. Villareal.

Ayon kay Villareal ang serbisyong publiko ay isang marangal na tungkulin na nangangailangan ng dedikasyon at pangako upang gampanan ang sagradong Gawain at tungkulin.

“Sa inyong panunumpa, palagi nawa ninyong maalaala kahalagahan ng pagbibigay ng walang pasubaling serbisyo, bilang mga lingkod-bayan ng Department of Agrarian Reform sa sambayanang Pilipino,” ani Villareal.

Ipinahayag niya na sa DAR, ang atas na serbisyo publiko ay ang makipagtulungan sa mga mahihirap na magsasaka na sa loob ng maraming taon ay nagdusa mula sa mga kawalan ng katarungan na dulot ng kawalan ng lupa at kawalan ng mga pagkakataon na makasama sa mga programa at serbisyo ng gobyerno at pribadong sektor.

“Sa DAR, nagpapatupad kami ng mga komprehensibong programa at serbisyo para sa pagpapalakas ng mga magsasaka na nakinabang mula sa programa ng repormang agraryo ng gobyerno,” aniya.

Binigyang-diin ni Villareal na ng mga programa at serbisyong ito ay makakamit sa pamamagitan ng pangako ng mga opisyal at empleyado ng DAR na maging mabuting tagapaglingkod sa bayan

Mula sa 64 empleyado, apatnaput-tatlo (43) sa kanila ang bagong promote at dalawamput-isa (21) ang bagong hirang. Ang apat (4) na mga bagong hinirang ay mga bagong aplikante at labing-anim (16) ang hindi na bago sa DAR-Caraga dahil nagsilbi sila bilang contract of service (COS) sa mahabang panahon.