Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat — The United Highlander Farmers Producers Cooperative (UHFPC), located in Barangay Nati, Senator Ninoy Aquino, received a newly renovated processing building, complete with equipment and packaging materials from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to boost their agricultural production and income.

The turnover of the Php350,000 worth of processing facility is in consonance with the directive of DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, to intensify the interventions for support services and diversified income sources to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Although the main crop of UHFPC is coffee, the DAR also saw the potential of tablea to become more competitive in the market. Tablea are roasted, ground and molded pure processed cacao beans, used for chocolate drink.

UHFPC Chairperson Ma. Corazon Estandarte thanked the DAR for the project and assured the agency of their full commitment and dedication to sustain it.

“We would like to thank the DAR-Sultan Kudarat for always being supportive and assisting us in terms of providing what we need so we could have additional income to provide for our family,” she said.

Mary Jane Aguilar, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, said the project was implemented under the Village Level Farm-focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) project of the agency.

“The VLFED enables the ARBs to produce market-competitive products through value addition by providing them with appropriate facilities and equipment for their products to become more competitive, increase their profits and strengthen their organization,” she said.

The municipal agrarian reform program officer and the municipal cooperative development officer reminded the members of the UHFPC of their responsibilities to sustain and maintain the facilities because of the benefits it will give to the organization. They likewise assured the organization of the government’s continuing assistance to improve their livelihood.

Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat — Nakatanggap ang United Highlander Farmers Producers Cooperative (UHFPC), na matatagpuan sa Barangay Nati, Senator Ninoy Aquino, ng bagong gawang processing building, na may kasamang kagamitan at packaging materials mula sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) upang palakasin ang kanilang produksyon at kita sa agrikultura.

Ang ipinagkaloob na proyekto na nagkakahalagang Php350,000 ay naaayon sa direktiba ni DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, na paigtingin ang mga interbensyon para sa suportang serbisyo at sari-saring mapagkukunan ng kita sa mga agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB).

Bagama't ang pangunahing pananim ng UHFPC ay kape, nakita rin ng DAR ang potensyal ng tablea na maging mas kompetitibo sa merkado. Ang tablea ay sinangag, giniling at hinulmang purong butil ng cacao, na ginagamit para sa inuming tsokolate.

Nagpasalamat si Ma. Corazon Estandarte, UHFPC Chairperson, sa DAR para sa proyekto at sineguro sa ahensya na ibibigay nila ang lahat ng makakaya at dedikasyon upang mapanatili ito.

“Maraming salamat po sa DAR-Sultan Kudarat dahil sa kanilang palagiang pagsuporta at pagtulong sa amin lalo na sa pagkakaloob ng mga pangangailangan namin upang magkaroon kami ng karagdagang kita para sa amin at aming mga pamilya,” aniya.

Ayon kay Mary Jane Aguilar, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, ang proyekto ay ipinatupad sa ilalim ng Village Level Farm-focused Enterprise Development Project (VLFED) ng ahensya.

“Ang VLFED ay nagbibigay-daan sa mga ARB na makabuo ng mga produktong makakapagkumpitensya sa merkado sa pamamagitan ng value addition at pagbibigay sa kanila ng nararapat na pasilidad at kagamitan upang mas maging kompetitibo ang kanilang mga produkto, madagdagan ang kanilang kita at palakasin ang kanilang organisasyon,” aniya.

Pinaalalahanan ng municipal agrarian reform program officer at ng municipal cooperative development officer ang mga miyembro ng UHFPC sa kanilang mga responsibilidad na mapanatili ang mga pasilidad dahil sa mga benepisyong ibibigay nito sa organisasyon. Tiniyak din nila sa organisasyon ang patuloy na pagbibigay ng tulong ng pamahalaan para mapabuti ang kanilang kabuhayan.