đź“…

DAR officials led by Undersecretaries Josef Angelo Martires and Kazel C. Celeste with BJMP officials led by Jail Director Ruel S. Rivera after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

BJMP MBAI, QUEZON CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) renewed their partnership to advance food security and economic empowerment through the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program during a ceremonial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing held at the BJMP MBAI Building.

At the event, all DAR Regional Directors and representatives and their BJMP counterparts formally signed the MOU renewing the partnership under the Project Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) in stride of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s commitment to fight hunger and poverty.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III giving his keynote speech.

The renewed agreement links Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) and their ARB Organizations (ARBOs) directly to BJMP facilities to supply fresh, locally grown food, supporting both ARBs’ incomes and the nutritional needs of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs).

Since its launch in 2019, the DAR-BJMP partnership has generated over ₱115 million in sales for ARBOs, with ₱30.5 million earned in 2024 alone.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella emphasized the program’s impact: “Napakalaking bagay po nito. While we are giving them lands, we are giving them support services. Ang problema, hindi nila alam kung saan ibebenta ang kanilang mga ani. Salamat sa BJMP at sinaklolohan ninyo ang ating mga ARB. Kayo na mismo ang bumibili ng kanilang ani na mahusay, masustansya, at malinis na ipapakain sa ating mga PDL.”

Luzon DAR Regional Directors and BJMP counterpart sign Memorandum of Understanding renewing project Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty.

DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Office (SSO) Josef Angelo S. Martires also remarked on the importance of the signing: “This initiative holds immense potential to foster sustainable livelihoods, promote food security, and instill hope within our communities and correctional facilities. Further, this partnership will not only empower our ARBOs, we are also uplifting the Philippine economy.”

BJMP Chief JDIR Ruel S. Rivera reaffirmed the BJMP’s commitment to a nationwide implementation of the project.

“Sa ngayon, 357 out of 448 BJMP Jails ang meron nang Marketing Agreement sa ARBs at ARBOs sa kani-kanilang awtoridad. Hindi kami titigil hangga’t hindi nararating ang 100%,” he exclaimed.

Also present during the signing were DAR Undersecretaries Jesry T. Palmares (Foreign Assisted Special Projects Office), Atty. Kazel C. Celeste (Field Operations Office), Assistant Secretaries Jose Jenil C. Demorito (Public Information Service) and Ubaldo Sadiarin Jr. (SSO), Director Von Mark Mendoza (Project Management Service), Assistant Director Charisse Atacador (Bureau of Land Acquisition and Development) and Senior Agrarian Reform Program Officer and PAHP National Coordinator Ma. Susan Gambalan; and from the BJMP: Jail Chief Superintendents Dennis Rocamora, Efren Nemeña and Isabelo Cartin. (Prepared By: Aldrich Abiezer Quezada)

DAR at BJMP, Muling Nagkasundo sa PAHP Project Para Labanan ang Kahirapan at Kakulangan sa Pagkain

BJMP MBAI, QUEZON CITY – Muling nagkasundo ang Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) at Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) upang palakasin ang seguridad sa pagkain at kabuhayan sa ilalim ng Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program. Isinagawa ang pirmahan ng kasunduan (Memorandum of Understanding o MOU) sa BJMP MBAI Building.

Pumirma sa kasunduan ang lahat ng DAR Regional Directors at mga kinatawan ng BJMP bilang tanda ng patuloy na pagtutulungan ng dalawang ahensya, alinsunod sa layunin ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na wakasan ang kagutuman at kahirapan.

Sa ilalim ng kasunduan, direktang nakikipag-ugnayan ang Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) at ang kanilang ARB Organizations (ARBOs) sa mga kulungan ng BJMP upang magrasyon ng sariwa at lokal na ani. Malaking tulong ito sa kita ng mga magsasaka, at nakatitiyak naman ang BJMP ng masustansyang pagkain para sa mga Person Deprived of Liberty (PDLs).

Mula nang simulan ang programa noong 2019, umabot na sa ₱115 milyon ang kabuuang kita ng mga ARBO mula sa ugnayang ito ng DAR at BJMP. Noong 2024 lamang, nakapagtala ng ₱30.5 milyon na benta ang mga ARBO.

Binanggit ni DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella ang kahalagahan ng proyekto: “Napakalaking tulong po nito. Habang binibigyan natin ng lupa ang ating mga ARB, kailangan din natin silang bigyan ng tulong—gaya ng makinarya, kalsada at pamilihan. Salamat sa BJMP dahil kayo na mismo ang bumibili ng kanilang masustansya, malinis at de-kalidad na ani para sa ating mga PDLs.”

Pahayag naman ni DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Josef Angelo S. Martires: “Malaki ang maitutulong ng proyektong ito sa kabuhayan, seguridad sa pagkain, at pag-asa ng ating mga komunidad at kulungan. Sa pagtangkilik sa sariling atin, tumutulong din tayo sa pag-angat ng ekonomiya ng bansa.”

Sa panig din ni BJMP Chief JDIR Ruel S. Rivera, sinabi nito ang kanilang matibay na suporta: “Sa ngayon, 357 sa 448 kulungan ang may kasunduan na sa ARBs. Hindi kami titigil hangga’t lahat ay masakop ng programang ito.”

Dumalo rin sa pirmahan sina DAR Undersecretaries Jesry T. Palmares (Foreign Assisted Special Projects Office), Atty. Kazel C. Celeste (Field Operations Office), Assistant Secretaries Jose Jenil C. Demorito (Public Information Service), Ubaldo Sadiarin Jr. (SSO), Director Von Mark Mendoza (Project Management Service), Assistant Director Charisse Atacador (Bureau of Land Acquisition and Development), at PAHP National Coordinator Ma. Susan Gambalan; at mula sa BJMP sina Jail Chief Superintendents Dennis Rocamora, Efren Nemeña, at Isabelo Cartin.