Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Bernie F. Cruz visited yesterday, January 5, 2022, the Sycip Plantation Farmworkers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (SPFWAC) in Barangay San Jose, Manjuyod, Negros Oriental to assess the damage left by typhoon Odette last December and create a plan of actions to revive the agri-enterprise activities of the said cooperative.

SPFWAC has 312 agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) members with a total production area of 544.17 hectares. Their agribusiness involves the production of sugarcane, mango, shrimps, bangus, cacao and muscovado processing, and credit financing, among others.

Cruz conducted a dialogue with the SPFWAC officials and members to know their needs and concerns for the immediate rehabilitation of their cooperative, whose crops and agri-business structures were badly damaged by the typhoon.

“With the full cooperation of local officials in your province, we would provide the support you need so that you can stand up again and bring back to life your booming enterprise, devastated by the typhoon,” he said to the farmers.

After his visit to Barangay San Jose, Cruz proceeded to Canlaon City to bring relief goods to ARBs and also held a meeting with them on their current problems caused by the typhoon to provide them with their needs in reviving their land productivity.

A day earlier, the Secretary also brought relief goods and conducted a dialogue with the farmers from Bais City and Mabinay town.

Odette is the 15th storm and the strongest typhoon to hit the country last year ravaging a number of provinces nationwide.

Binisita ni Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Bernie F. Cruz kahapon, Enero 5, 2022, ang Sycip Plantation Farmworkers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (SPFWAC) sa Barangay San Jose, Manjuyod, Negros Oriental, upang alamin ang mga pinsalang iniwan ng bagyong Odette noong nakaraang Disyembre at magsagawa ng mga planong gagawin upang muling buhayin ang negosyong pang-agrikultura ng nasabing kooperatiba.

Ang SPFWAC ay may 312 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) na kasapi at may kabuuang sukat ng produksyon na 544.17 ektarya. Ilan sa kanilang agribusiness ay ang produksyon ng tubo, mangga, hipon, bangus, cacao at muscovado processing, at credit financing.

Nagsagawa si Cruz ng dayalogo sa mga opisyal at kasapi upang alamin ang kanilang pangunahing pangangailangan para sa rehabilitasyon ng kanilang kooperatiba, kung saan kabilang sa mga nasalanta ng bagyong Odette ay ang kanilang mga pananim at istraktura ng kooperatiba.

“Buo ang kooperasyon sa DAR ng lokal na opisyal sa inyong lalawigan. Ibibigay namin ang suportang inyong hinihingi upang kayo’y makabangon muli at maibalik ang inyong malakas at kumikitang negosyo na nasira ng bagyo,” aniya sa mga magsasaka.

Pagkatapos ng kanyang pagbisita sa Barangay San Jose, dumiretso rin si Cruz sa Canlaon City upang mamigay ng relief goods sa mga ARB at nagsagawa rin siya ng pulong upang alamin ang kanilang problema na dulot ng bagyo upang muling buhayin ang kanilang produktibong lupa.

Noong nagdaang araw, namahagi rin ang Secretary ng relief goods at nagsagawa ng dayalogo sa mga magsasaka ng Bais City at bayan ng Mabinay.

Si Odette ay ang ika-15 bagyo at ang pinakamalakas na dumaan sa bansa noong nakaraang taon na nanalasa sa iba’t ibang lalawigan.