PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan — More than 400 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in this province are expected to boost their farming operations as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provided their organizations with P6,742,000.00 worth of farm machines and tractors.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the turnover of farm machines and tractors to uplift the lives of farmer members from the two (2) agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations in Palawan.

The Bono-Bono Gintong Butil Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Bataraza agrarian reform community was provided with 1 unit harvester with trailer and 1 unit 4-wheel drive tractor with rotary tiller worth P 3,498,000.00. The Malalong-Binasbas Agriculture Cooperative received 1 unit hauling truck with a 6-wheeler drop side worth P 3,244,000.00.

Estrella said the initiative is a testament to the DAR's commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of farmers and ensuring that the ARBs will have access to the resources for them to help contribute to the growth of the local economy.

“With the farm machinery and equipment, these organizations can now provide services to their ARB members, adjoining ARB organizations, and other small farmers in the community,” Estrella said.

DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Rowena Niña Taduran, who assisted the Secretary in the turnover ceremony said, the farm machine, tractor, and hauling truck will address DAR’s initiative to modernize farming practices of the ARBs and address the farmers’ need for easier farming and cheaper transportation of their produce.

“The hauling truck will serve as an added service of ARBOs to its members and non-member farmers. It will lessen their problem of expensive rentals, while the tractor and thresher will help make farming easier and faster,” Taduran said.

Lovimen Gallego, Chairman of the Malalong-Binasbas Agrarian Cooperative, on behalf of its members, expressed his gratitude and pledged to take care of the truck they received.

“This hauling truck would make delivery of our harvests and products easier and faster. It will also increase our savings as we will no longer rent private hauling trucks for our deliveries. We thank the DAR for listening to our concerns, and for providing us with this badly needed hauling truck,” Gallego said.

Out of the total of P 6.7 million in farm machines and tractors, P3,498,000.00 was procured under the DAR’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project program, while the P3,244,000.00 hauling truck was provided through the Agrarian Reform Fund.

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – Mahigit 400 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) sa lalawigang ito ang inaasahang mapapalakas ang kanilang operasyon sa pagsasaka dahil pagbibigay ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) ng P6,742,000.00 halaga ng mga makina at traktora.

Pinangunahan ni Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III ang turnover ng mga makina at traktora para maiangat ang buhay ng mga miyembrong magsasaka mula sa dalawang (2) agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations sa Palawan.

Ang Bono-Bono Gintong Butil Multi-Purpose Cooperative sa Bataraza agrarian reform community ay nabigyan ng 1 unit harvester na may trailer at 1 unit na 4-wheel drive tractor na may rotary tiller na nagkakahalaga ng P 3,498,000.00. Nakatanggap din ang Malalong-Binasbas Agriculture Cooperative ng 1 unit hauling truck na may 6-wheeler drop side na nagkakahalaga ng P 3,244,000.00.

Sinabi ni Estrella na ang inisyatiba ay isang patunay sa pangako ng DAR na magkaroon ng positibong epekto sa buhay ng mga magsasaka at pagtiyak na ang mga ARB ay magkakaroon ng access sa mga kagamitan upang sila ay makatulong sap ag-unlad ng lokal na ekonomiya.

"Gamit ang mga makinarya at kagamitang pangsaka, ang mga organisasyong ito ay maaari na ngayong magbigay ng mga serbisyo sa kanilang mga miyembrong ARB, mga kalapit na organisasyon ng ARB, at iba pang maliliit na magsasaka sa komunidad," ani Estrella.

Sinabi ni DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Rowena Nina Taduran, na tumulong sa Kalihim sa turn over ceremony, na tutugunan ng farm machine, tractor at hauling truck ang inisyatiba ng DAR na gawing moderno ang pagsasaka ng mga ARB at tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga magsasaka para sa mas madaling pagsasaka at mas murang transportasyon ng kanilang mga produkto.

“Ang hauling truck ay magsisilbing karagdagang serbisyo ng mga ARBO sa mga miyembro nito at hindi miyembrong magsasaka. Mababawasan nito ang kanilang problema sa mamahaling renta, habang ang traktor at thresher ay makatutulong upang mapadali at mapabilis ang pagsasaka,” ani Taduran.

Nagpahayag ng kanyang pasasalamat si Lovimen Gallego, Chairman ng Malalong-Binasbas Agrarian Cooperative, sa ngalan ng mga miyembro nito, at nangakong aalagaan ang trak na kanilang natanggap.

“Ang hauling truck na ito ay gagawing mas madali at mas mabilis ang paghahatid ng aming mga ani at produkto. Madadagdagan din ang ipon namin dahil hindi na kami magrerenta ng mga pribadong hauling truck para sa aming paghahatid ng mga produkto. Pinasasalamatan namin ang DAR sa pakikinig sa aming mga alalahanin, at sa pagbibigay sa amin ng lubhang kailangan na hauling truck na ito,” ani Gallego.

Mula sa kabuuang P 6.7 milyong makinarya at kagamitang pangsaka, P3,498,000.00 ay nagmula sa ilalim ng programang SuRe ARCs at Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP) ng DAR, habang ang P3,244,000.00 panghakot na trak ay nagmula sa Agrarian Reform Fund.