Unity at a time of crisis: Pangasinan ARBOs join hands for economic progress

Aliguas Dumaralos na Buenlag, Inc. President Romeo Lopez (in white, rightmost) asks DepEd Dagupan School-Based Feeding Program Point Person Noreen Vidal (leftmost, holding microphone) about the DepEd's quality requirements for fruits and vegetables. (Photo by Sharlene Ramirez)

The Philippine peso's value against the US dollar is at an all-time low, while oil prices are at a record high. Daily, headlines crowd the newscasts: an impending price hike for the following week, the ballooning costs of basic commodities, and a seemingly downward trend in the economy. Despite all of this negative news, the agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) of Pangasinan remain hopeful, positively steadfast in their duty of providing food on our tables.

During the third quarter of this year, vegetable-producing ARBOs convened to discuss an opportunity that would give their farmer-members a stable source of income during this time. The highly-successful ARBO Bantog Samahang Nayon Multipurpose Cooperative (BSNMPC), which has won the multimillion bid for the Department of Education's (DepEd) School-Based Feeding Program for the last two school years, intends to compete again in the upcoming feeding program for the following school year. In line with this, BSNMPC, headed by chairman Rolly Mateo, appealed to local ARBOs to become their suppliers of vegetables and seasoned fruits if it wins the bid for the next SBFP.

Jams Bangis, president of Artacho Farmers Association (in gray), and Jojo Callejo, manager of Gualsic Agriculture Cooperative (in blue) sign an initial marketing agreement with other vegetable-growing ARBOs and Bantog Samahang Nayon Multipurpose Cooperative (BSNMPC) on September 2022. If BSNMPC wins the contract for the next DepEd School-Based Feeding Program, Bangis' and Callejo's ARBOs will become suppliers of vegetables and fruits to more than 52,200 schoolchildren in DepEd SDO Pangasinan II thru the BSNMPC. (Photo by Sharlene Ramirez)

Ever since the BSNMPC won the contract for the previous implementations of the SBFP, it has amassed a cumulative gross product sales of ₱255 million–not only bringing exponential growth to the once-humble agri-enterprise but also boosting its net financial contracting capacity (NFCC). (Having a good NFCC score increases an organization's chances of winning future multimillion bids, as detailed under Section 23.4.1.4 of RA 9184.) The Asingan-based ARBO has given residents employment, and carabao owners livelihood, during the pandemic. Now, it wants to share its success with vegetable-growing ARBOs, which can sell their products to the DepEd's SBFP through BSNMPC, if it becomes the successful bidder for the program next year.

"Hindi papayag ang Bantog (BSNMPC) na kami lang ang nasa taas," Chairman Mateo said. "Ayaw naming may nakikita na magsasaka na nasa laylayan."

For this purpose, BSNMPC, ARBOs, and DepEd Schools Division Office (SDO) Pangasinan I, Pangasinan II, and Dagupan City met in a series of marketing fora facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Pangasinan. During the meeting, the ARBOs forwarded their initial commitments and tackled the potential marketing agreement with BSNMPC if the latter wins the upcoming DepEd SBFP contract.

"Grab every opportunity na binibigay ng DepEd. Kung ano yung nakuha na growth ng Bantog (BSNMPC) sa SBFP, sana mashare niyo rin, since you're all on the same boat (as ARBOs). Gusto ko mag grow kayo," Nurse II Maria Corazon Salinas of DepEd SDO Pangasinan II encouraged.

Director IV and concurrent PARPO II Maria Ana B. Francisco (in gray DAR uniform) meets Chairperson Saturnino Distor (in white) of Aramal-Tocok Federation of Free Farmers on September 14, 2022, during one of the marketing forums of the DAR with DepEd and vegetable-growing ARBOs. Director IV Francisco and Distor witnessed the historical signing of EO 4 series of 2022 in Malacañang Palace a day prior. (Photo by Miranda Dexter) 

In her capacity as SBFP focal person, Salinas was the first person to tap BSNMPC in 2020 as the supplier for pasteurized carabao milk to more than 52,200 schoolchildren in 464 public elementary schools in Districts 4, 5, and 6. This was during the time when the SBFP's cooked hot meals were replaced with nutritious food packs and packaged milk.

"Yung pandemic, it's not all negative. May biyaya ito na binibigay. We in DepEd are willing to extend our help so you can all grow," she added.

It was also during the third quarter when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law Executive Order No. 4 series of 2022, which implemented a one-year moratorium on the payment of the principal value and land amortization interest of land awardee ARBs. This was a mere two months after the President promised to do so in his first State of the Nation Address in July.

Director IV and concurrent PARPO II Maria Ana B. Francisco was one of the witnesses of the historic EO signing.

"Sabi ng Presidente natin sa speech niya na pinili niya talaga na maging secretary ng DA (Department of Agriculture)," Director IV Francisco said, recounting her experience in Malacanang Palace. "He will remain as secretary as DA hanggang sa hindi tumaas ang antas ng agrikultura sa bansa. Pinili niya na maging secretary because of the situation of agriculture in the country. Gusto ng ating Secretary (DAR Sec. Conrado M. Estrella III) at ng ating presidente na maging sustainable tayo."

If all goes as hoped, and BSNMPC wins the contract for next year's SBFP, local vegetable-growing ARBOs will have a consistent buyer of their produce who will purchase in big volumes. Despite the possible hurdles that might come their way, the solid resolve of ARBOs will clear the path to success shared by all. (Zarena Ann Amado)