LOCAL farmers are sure winners as the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) was launched on Oct. 14, 2020 through the partnership of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Western Visayas.
This program is a strategy of the government in addressing concerns in hunger mitigation, food and nutrition insecurity and poverty reduction. With the signing of the MOU and Marketing Agreements, the farmers will be assured of the market of their products among others vegetables, livestock and poultry with BJMP as its direct customer.
Keynote speaker Cabinet Secretary Atty. Karlo Alexei Nograles emphasized that the client of the farmers is the government institution, in this case, the BJMP, hence they are assured of their market and profit. He shared the good news that Land Bank of the Philippines will provide credit facilities to agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) with P2 billion. He hoped that the program will be a big help to farmers especially in this time of pandemic.
Undersecretary Emily Padilla likewise congratulated Region VI for the job well done and proudly announced that nationwide DAR ARBOs reached P1 billion in sales of farmer products.
BJMP Director Allan Iral committed his full support to the program and is happy to note that the BJMP was able to help farmers amid crisis.
The fortunate ARBOs who are involved in this program are Avila Farmers Associaiton, RanQueVez ARC Association, Sebaste Tambadol, Malbag, Pin-as Fundasyon Association, Tamborong ARBs and Farmers Association, Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Sebaste Palhe Sebaste Farmers Association, SANDONA Development Cooperative, Badiangan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Tagas Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Man-up Mul;ti-Purpose Cooperative, Catmon (Aklan) Multi-Purpose Cooperative , Barbaza Farmers Irrigators Association, Inc., NICS MPC, Nagbangi I AR Cooperative, Tumalalud Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Nagkaisa Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Entorilan ARB Association, Inc., A and G Esteban Farmers Association, Nabinay AR Cooperative, Mulawin-Lanatan Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Hagnaya AR Cooperative, Dolis AR Cooperative, Negros Occidental Farmers and Agrarian Reform Cooperative, General Malvar Agrarian Reform Cooperative, So Flora Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Bajay-Patol Agrarian Reform Cooperative.
DAR Regional Director Atty. Sheila Enciso is positive that with the agreement signed, EPAHP will be a sustainable blessing for farmer-beneficiaries and persons deprived of liberty./PN
