📅

Secretary Conrado Estrella III with a woman agrarian reform beneficiary. (DAR file photo)
Women who are wives of an agrarian reform beneficiary are now referred to as “spouses” and co-owners, in line with Republic Act No. 9710, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Women. (DAR file photo)

“SALUTE to our women farmers for their immense contribution to our food self-sufficiency program, more so in nation-building,” thus said Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary (DAR) Conrado Estrella III as he emphasized the significant role of women farmers in making food available on the table and keeping every farming family together.

“Nobody can underestimate the sacrifices of our women farmers. Oftentimes, they do the odd jobs, yet, they rarely get due recognition,” Estrella stressed as the DAR joins in celebrating the “National Women’s Month.”

Just recently, the DAR launched a poverty alleviation and food security project in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Dubbed as the Value-Chain Innovation for Sustainable Transformation in Agrarian Reform Communities (VISTA), the P6.2 billion project aims to address the main causes of rural poverty, while creating economic opportunities for its target beneficiaries of 70,000 smallholder household.

“The project embodies a strong vision for women’s empowerment in the Philippines,” Estrella said, noting that women farmers comprise half of the 350,000 individual beneficiaries from the 112 agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in the Cordillera Administrative Region: Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, and the four provinces of Soccskargen: North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat.

“This is just the beginning. More livelihood projects, primarily benefitting women, are in the pipeline as we uphold gender equality in agriculture,” he added.

Estrella also highlighted the DAR’s progressive move to recognize women’s equal ownership of agrarian land. Instead of listing farmers’ wives as ‘married to’ in Certificates of Land Ownership Awards, both husband and wife are now referred to as “spouses” and co-owners, in line with Republic Act No. 9710, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Women.”

“After all, behind every man’s success is a woman,” Estrella quipped. (By: Richard Gallardo)

Estrella Pinuri ang Kababaihang Magsasaka sa Pagdiriwang ng National Women’s Month

“PAGPUPUGAY sa ating kababaihang magsasaka sa kanilang napakalaking ambag sa ating food self-sufficiency program, lalo na sa pagpapaunlad ngbansa,” wika ni Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary (DAR) Conrado Estrella III habang binigyang-diin ang mahalagang papel na ginagampanan ng kababaihang magsasaka upang magkaroon ng pagkain sa hapag-kainan at mapanatili ang pagsasama ng bawat pamilyang magsasaka.

“Walang sinuman ang maaaring maliitin ang mga sakripisyo ng ating kababaihang magsasaka. Madalas, sila ang gumagawa ng mabibigat at hindi karaniwang trabaho, ngunit hindi naman nabibigyan ng karampatang pagkilala,” dagdag ni Estrella sa pakikiisa ng DAR sa pagdiriwang ng National Women’s Month.

Kamakailan lamang, inilunsad ng DAR ang isang proyekto laban sa kahirapan at kakulangan sa pagkain sa pakikipgtulungan sa International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Tinawag na Value-Chain Innovation for Sustainable Transformation in Agrarian Reform Communities (VISTA), ang P6.2-bilyong proyekto ay naglalayong lutasin ang ugat ng kahirapan sa kanayunan at lumikha ng oportunidad pangkabuhayan para sa 70,000 maliliit na pamilyang magsasaka.

“Malinaw na isinusulong ng proyektong ito ang pagpapalakas ng kababaihan sa Pilipinas,” ani Estrella, habang binanggit na kalahati ng 350,000 indibidwal na benepisyaryo mula sa 112 na kasaling agrarian reform communities (ARCs) ay mga babaeng magsasakaka mula sa Cordillera Administrative Region: Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga at Mountain Province, at apat na lalawigan ng Soccskargen: North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani at Sultan Kudarat.

“Simula pa lamang ito. Marami pang mga proyektong pangkabuhayan na ang pangunahing makikinabang ay kababaihan, ang nakatakdang ipatupad bilang bahagi ng ating pagsuporta sa pagkakapantay-pantay ng kasarian sa agrikultura,” dagdag pa niya.

Ipinagmalaki rin ni Estrella ang makabagong hakbang ng DAR sa pagtatanggap sa pantay na pagmamay-ari ng kababaihan sa mga lupang agraryo. Sa halip na ituring ang mga asawa ng magsasaka bilang simpleng “married to” sa Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), itinuturing na ngayon ang mag-asawa bilang ‘spouses” o co-owners, alinsunod sa Republic Act No. 9710 o “Magna Carta for Women.”

“Sabagay, sa likod ng bawat matagumpay na lalaki ay may isang babae,” pagtatapos ni Estrella.