The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the province of Cavite has conducted a series of information technology-enabled assessment system (IT-eASy) for agrarian reform communities (ARCs) and agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), specifically in F. de Castro, General Mariano Alvarez and Pasong Kawayan II, General Trias, to level off their stages of development

“There is a need to assess the level of organizational maturity of the ARCs and the ARBOs for the DAR to be aware of the basic and advance interventions that has been provided to these groups in terms of land tenure improvement, agrarian justice delivery and effective delivery of support services,” DAR-Cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II James Arthur T. Dubongco said.

Dubongco noted that most of the agrarian development interventions given to the farmers are passed on through the ARBOs and the ARCs since they are composed of farmers who are united in their goals to improve their agriculture and economic lives. Thus, he said they know more what to prioritize in terms of the requirements of the organization.

“Investment, in terms of programs, projects and interventions are focused in these ARCs and ARBOs,” he said.

Dubongco said the DAR Cavite started its IT assessment last Dec 2021 and as of January 2022, four (4) ARCs, seven (7) ARBOs and fifty (50) agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) has been assessed.

He disclosed that since 1993, DAR has adopted the development of ARCs as its main strategy to propel economic growth and rural development in the countryside. The strategy has identified five (5) levels of ARC development, starting of with level 1 as the basic intervention and level 5 as the advanced stage of interventions provided by the DAR and other agencies.

Dubongco said the General Mariano Alvarez ARC alone is composed of three (3) ARBOs, the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite (ARBAGMAC), Brgy Kua Farmers, Owners, Workers Association (BKFOWA) and LUZVIMIN MPC.

Caesario Mullet, Chairman of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite (ARBAGMAC) said that due to the pandemic, the operation of their cooperative has been temporarily suspended and that they plan to borrow under the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) to recuperate.

Dubongco said the DAR would intensify the provision of support services by creating more ARBOs nationwide and provide them with infrastructures, farm machinery and equipment, farm inputs, credit assistance, and livelihood training, among other support services to ensure the ARBs’ success.

ARCs are cluster of contiguous barangays within a municipality where majority of lands have been awarded to a critical mass of ARBs.

Nagsagawa ang Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) sa lalawigan ng Cavite ng serye ng information technology-enabled assessment system (IT-eASy) para sa agrarian reform communities (ARCs) at agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs), partikular sa F. de Castro, General Mariano Alvarez at Pasong Kawayan II, General Trias, upang malaman ang antas ng pag-unlad ng mga ito.

"Kailangang masuri ang antas ng pag-unlad ng organisasyon ng mga ARC at ng ARBO para malaman ng DAR ang mga basic at advance interventions na ibinigay sa mga grupong ito kaugnay sa land tenure improvement, agrarian justice delivery at epektibong paghahatid ng suportang serbisyo," ani.DAR-Cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II James Arthur T. Dubongco.

Sinabi ni Dubongco na karamihan sa mga agrarian development intervention na ibinibigay sa mga magsasaka ay idinadaan sa mga ARBOs at ARCs dahil sila ay binubuo ng mga magsasaka na nagkakaisa sa kanilang layunin na paunlarin ang kanilang agrikultura at pamumuhay,. Kaya, aniya mas alam nila kung ano ang dapat unahin sa mga kinakailangan ng organisasyon.

"Ang pamumuhunan, ayon sa mga programa, proyekto at mga interbensyon ay nakatuon sa mga ARCs," sabi niya.

Sinabi ni Dubongco na sinimulan ng DAR Cavite ang pagtatasa ng IT noong Disyembre 2021 at nitong Enero 2022 ay may apat (4) na ARCs, pitong (7) ARBOs at limampung (50) agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) na ang nasuri.

Ibinunyag niya na mula noong 1993, pinagtibay ng DAR ang pagbuo ng mga ARCs bilang pangunahing istratehiya nito upang maisulong ang paglago ng ekonomiya at pag-unlad sa kanayunan. Natukoy sa istratehiyang ito ang limang (5) antas ng pagbuo ng ARC, simula sa unang antas bilang pangunahing interbensyon at ika-limang antas bilang advanced stage ng pagkakaloob ng tulong mula sa DAR at iba pang ahensya.

Ipinahayag ni Dubongco na sa General Mariano Alvarez ARC lamang ay binubuo ng tatlong (3) ARBOs, ang Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite (ARBAGMAC), Brgy Kua Farmers, Owners, Workers Association (BKFOWA) and LUZVIMIN MPC.

Sinabi ni Caesario Mullet, Chairman ng Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite (ARBAGMAC), na dahil sa pandemya, pansamantalang sinuspinde ang operasyon ng kooperatiba at sa kasalukuyan ay plano nilang mangutang sa ilalim ng Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) upang makabawi.

Sinabi ni Dubongco na pinaiigting ng DAR ang pagkakaloob nito ng support services sa pamamagitan ng pag-oorganisa ng mas maraming ARBOs sa buong bansa upang mapagkalooban sila ng imprastraktura, makinaryang pang-bukid at mga kagamitan, farm inputs, credit assistances, at livelihood trainings, na ilan lamang sa mga suportang serbisyo na ibinibigay sa kanila upang maseguro ang tagumpay ng mga ARBs.

Ang ARC say kumpol ng magkakalapit na mga barangay sa loob ng isang munisipalidad kung saan ang karamihan ng mga lupain ay iginawad na sa mga ARBs.