October-December 2014
Volume 14 No. 6
8 Pages
KRCC Looks for Investment Opportunities in ARCs at Zamboanga Peninsula
T
he Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in partnership with the Korean Rural Community Corporation (KRCC) recently conducted the Assessment Survey of Potential Agri-Enterprise Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in the different Agrarian Reform Communities Project Phase 2 (ARCP 2) cluster areas in the three provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula on October 30-31, 2014 PPP is a concept originally introduced in Korea which is hailed to be a success. It is a tripartite involvement and collaboration between and among the government, the private and the public sectors, for the purpose of improving economic state of its people through agriculture and rural enterprise. Representatives from the DAR and KRCC were organized into two teams to conduct the assessment in the cluster areas. One team visited the province of Zamboanga del Norte, while
Members of the KRCC delegation headed by Dr. Choi Ho Min and Regional Director Julita A. Ragandang of DAR IX ( center, front row) together with other DAR officials and staff of Zamboanga Peninsula
the second team went to Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay. In Zamboanga del Norte, Leon Postigo Mayor Ruperto Jamora, in his welcome message, thanked DAR for bringing KRCC delegation
headed by Dr. Choi Ho Jin. The activity is an opportunity for KRCC to see the real condition of the farmers in the ARC cluster for appropriate intervention to enhance their production capability and to develop product competitiveness with the other countries. Salug Mayor Jeoffrey Lim, on the other hand, urged his constituents to cooperate and support DAR through KRCC, as he considers the visit of the Koreans as an opportunity to help alleviate the economic lives of the ARCP2 project beneficiaries. Mayors Lim and Jamora hoped that the consultation will have a positive impression among the visitors and bring in the necessary intervention to improve the production efficiency of the farmers and bring their products to the international market. Salug and Leon Postigo are predominantly planted with coconut while for Tampilisan and Godod towns, rubber is the dominant crop. Continu e on page 2 ontinue
DAR Signs MOA with BABAS Foundation Inc.
THE Department of Agrarian Reform IX recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement with BABAS Foundation Inc. a professional service provider for the various projects worth over P10 million for Zamboanga peninsula farmers at Grand Astoria Hotel in Zamboanga City. Under the agreement, DAR will engage the services of BABAS Foundation Inc. through the Agrarian Reform Community and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) project to provide agritechnology and agri-extension services, business development services and progress and monitoring services to selected Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in Region IX or Western Mindanao. It can be recalled that the main objective of the ARCCESS project is to improve the productivity of the agrarian reform beneficiaries so they could have resources for consumption and surplus. This objective will be met, among other ways, through the provision of strategic subsidies in the
Regional Director Julita A. Ragandang of DAR IX, Executive Director Cristita V. Racosalem-Epal of BABAS Foundation Inc. and Atty. Rodrigo Celicious of All Asian Center for Enterprise Development (ASCEND) Inc. sign the MOA for over P10 million ARCCESS project in Region IX. Also in photo are Asst. Regional Directors Ramon Madronal and Engr. Agnes Maata and PARPO II Moh. DassanAdju and PARPO I Rizzel Villanueva of DARPO Zamboanga del Norte.
form of agri-technology and agri-extension and business development services.
The services that will be provided by BABAS Foundation Inc. will benefit around 15,343 agrarian reform beneficiaries and some 44 ARBOs in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur. Some of the sub-projects that will be assisted by the technical experts and crop specialists of the service providers are the following: for Zamboanga del Norte, the Mechanization of Rice Production CumTrading, (Polanco); Abaca Production and Processing, (Sindangan); Cacao Production and Processing (Mutia); and for the province of Zamboanga Sibugay are Project Enchancement to Assist Poor Coconut-Farming Enterprise (PEACE, (Buug); Sustainable Training and Development for Rubber Enterprise, (Naga); and for the province of Zamboanga del Sur are Enhancing Capability of Rice Farmers in Organic Agriculture and Social Enterprise (Dumingag); and Integrated Rice Duct Farming with Common Service Facilities. Kumalarang). Continue on page 2
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October-December 2014
22 Talusan ARBs learn basic plumbing NEVER DID it cross the minds of the 22 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from the island of Talusan in Zamboanga Sibugay that they could go back to school and become students again. Not until they became students-trainees in the recently concluded skills training . The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan in Agrarian Reform Communities (PAMANA-ARA) program in partnership with Kabasalan Institute of Technology (KIT), a Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) accredited school in Kabasalan town, conducted an on-the-job skills enhancement training on basic plumbing for the ARBs from October 13-17, 2014. The 5-day training aimed to impart upon the ARBstrainees of Talusan the basics of plumbing for them to be prepared in operating and maintaining their own water projects that will be awarded and turned over to them any time of the year. The ARB-trainees were chosen and recommended by their own groups or associations within the barangay, primarily based on commitment to serve their co-members and their interest to learn new things. During the opening program conducted on the first day of the activity, DAR-Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I Elizardo Villaseca emphasized the importance of the skills training. He said that with the lectures and hands-on activities on plumbing to the would-be plumbers, the group or association that operates and maintains a water project is likely assured of a sustained project. “Projects should not only be useful in the current year but in the years to
come”, he said. The participants came to Kabasalan for the training “in twos,” in order to ensure continuity and consistency of the learning process. Every plumber has an alternate. In the course of the training, the trainees were oriented on the various kinds of plumbing tools and their respective uses, how to prepare and install pipes, and acquire other important plumbing skills. They also got the chance of using KIT’s facilities and avail of its other services. Present in the opening program were Provincial Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD) Chief Anthony Teves, PAMANA-ARA Coordinator Romulus
The graduates of the Basic Plumbing on-the-job training together with KIT Administrator Miraluna B. Lopez, DARPO Sibugay Administrative Officer Anna Georgina Sebastian anAd PAMANA-ARA Focal Person Romuluz Perez (Cr, 4th,5th and 7th from right).
Perez, KIT School Administrator Miraluna Baje-Lopez and some KIT supervising instructors. Administrator Lopez thanked DAR for the partnership with KIT in the conduct of the training. She guaranteed KIT’s full support in whatever skills training needed by DAR and looked forward for more partnership with the agency. True to her words, the lady administrator granted free NC II assessment for the interested Talusan-based plumbers, that is, the expenses including the application fee will be shouldered by KIT. The participants earned a total of 40 hours training within the 5-day period. They were conferred by the training center 2 competencies leading to Plumbing National Certificate (NC) II prescribed by TESDA - one for preparation of pipes to be installed, and another for performing single unit plumbing installation and assemblies. The culmination program was attended by DAR Chief Administrative Officer Ana Georgina Sebastian, Talusan Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Francisco Yurong, PARRCOM Chairman Vicente Matugas, PAMANA-ARA Focal Person Romulus Perez, KIT’s plumbing and Supervising Instructor Bonifacio Parajao and some media representatives. The participants expressed their gratitude both to DAR and KIT for the knowledge and the experience. Finally, before the group left for Talusan on the last day, Mr. Perez announced that each Barangay Water Sanitation Association in Talusan will receive a complete set of plumbing tools as part of the project. (John Lloyd Cababat )
KRCC Looks for Investment Opportunities in ARCs at Zamboanga Peninsula
Continued fr om page 1 from DAR-IX Regional Director Julita Ragandang urged the farmers to organize themselves into a cooperative to have easy access to the support services from the agency. She pointed out that the assessment is just an initial step towards the realization of the implementation of agri-enterprise development of the project . “ We have already accomplished land acquisition, distribution and agrarian justice delivery and are now focusing on the agri-enterprise development component of the project,” Ragandang said. In the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Board Member Bebe Fontanilla who represented Congresswoman Aurora Cerilles during the opening program in Mardale Hotel, said that partnership reinforces, unites and strengthens the capacities and abilities of communities to improve their general living standards. “We become better equipped as a people when we work together to make things happen,” she stressed. Dr. Anedem Ebillio, who represented Gov. Antonio Cerilles, expressed the governor’s full support to the undertaking, eliciting the participation of nine out of the ten Baganyan Peninsula (BagPen) municipal mayors during the activity.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Arturo Soria discussed the Public-Private Partnership potentials and advantages. He said if the needs of the area will be responded to, it will surely uplift the living conditions of agrarian reform beneficiaries as well as the other constituents of BagPen. Consultations and dialogues with the project stakeholders were conducted by the team on October 31, 2014 when they visited the proposed project sites in Dinas, Margosatubig and San Miguel towns. Dr. Jo Jin Hoon of KRCC announced that the team, after a thorough process, will study and determine projects and appropriate processing units that are urgently needed by the province. He said that he finds the potential endeavor promising to benefit DAR – ARCP2 recipients in BagPen and KRCC. In the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, the two-day visit has not materialized into a concrete partnership just yet. The forum with the various stakeholders and the field visits to rice and rubber-growing areas were just attempts to showcase to the Korean guests the economic potentials of the place, given its fertile soil and good climate condition throughout the year. Since the focus of the visit was on the
major crops growing in Sibugay, DARPO Sibugay made sure that the proponents for these products were around to clarify and vent issues and concerns. Aside from the individual rubber growers, the Philippine Pioneer Rubber Processing Corporation (PPRPC), the Goodyear Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GARBEMCO), Tambanan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TARBEMCO) also sent representatives for the rubber group, while Titay Valley Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TVFMC) represented the rice-growing group. The rubber sector had easily identi-
fied the low market price of rubber as its primary problem at this time. In his response, Dr. Choi Ho Jin explained that this crisis, which is forecasted to end by 2016, was due to a huge supply of rubber available in the international market. Most of these came from the Philippine’s neighboring countries like Thailand , Indonesia and Vietnam . Accordingly, the country’s share in the market would only be 1%. With this scenario, Dr. Choi believed that the Sibugay rubber farmers, given the favourable soil and weather condition, must plant other secondary crops in order to improve productivity and increase family income.. (Ma. Socorro C. Reambonanza)
DAR Signs MOA with BABAS Foundation Inc. Continued fr om page 1 from The sub projects that will be provided with Business Development Services are the following: for Zamboanga del Norte, the Village Level Coconut-Based Sweetener Production to LUZSITE, (Pinan); Rice Farming Mechanization with Demo-Farms cum Rice Trading, (Sindangan); and Rubber Production and Processing, (Tampilisan). For Zamboanga del Sur, Organic Banana Production, Marketing and Trading, (Vicenzo Sagun); Integrated Abaca Livelihood Project, (Lapuyan), Coco Sugar Production, (Margosatubig); Integrated
Rice Duct Farming Cum Processing, (Labangan);, and Organic Corn cum Processing. Present during the signing ceremony were DAR IX officials headed by Regional Director Julita A. Ragandang, Asst. Regional Director for Administration Atty. Ramon E. Madronal, Asst. Regional Director for Operations Engr. Agnes Y. Maata, PARPOs I of Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, BABAS Foundations Inc. Executive Director Cristita V. Racosalem-Epal, and representatives of ARBOs in the region.(Ma. Socorro C. Reambonanza)
October-December 2014
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DAR-Sibugay launches CPWASH Project in Payao GONE are the days when residents of Upper Sumilong, Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay will be worried and feel unsafe of the water they are using or even drinking. Just recently, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Local Government Unit (LGU) of Payao and Upper Sumilong Small Farmer’s Cooperative (USSFARMCO) entered into a joint venture agreement for the launching and establishment of Community Managed Potable Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (CPWASH) project in the barangay. On October 9-10, 2014, an orientation and joint planning workshop on CPWASH was conducted by the DAR and participated by USSFARMCO’s of-
Engr. Andrey T. Vale of DARPOZamboanga Sibugay briefing the participants on the salient features of CPWASH and its components.
Ms. Nenitadela Cruz of DAR Central Office explains to the participants the fundamentals of the CPWASH project. Removal Filter, Bio-Sand Filter, Rain Water Collector and Bio-Gas Digester. IronRemoval and Bio-Sand Filters are iron, pathogens and other impurities removing-structures while the Rain Water Collector will be used for accumulating and storing rainwater for drinking, livestock, irrigation and other uses. On the other hand, Bio-Gas Digester turns organic waste into renewable fuel like low-cost fuel for cooking. The project is a participative undertaking as involvement of the would-bebeneficiaries will be required for the realization of the plan such that a few of them will be sponsored for a hands-on training for 9 days on the procedure of making the identified projects. The trainees in turn, will act as Para-Engineers during the actual method of craft-
ficers and members. The activity aimed to enlighten the participants on the importance of water sanitation, giving them insights on lowcost sanitation facilities needed in their community, briefing them of the MOA Signing proper. (Seated from L to R) USSFARMCO Chair scheme they will Epifanio Abel, PARPO II Atty. Judith Patriarca-Mantos, Payao engage into Mayor Carol Mendoza, Ms. Nenita dela Cruz of DAR Centralthrough their co- BARBD. Behind them are the other project stakeholders. operative, and bestowing upon them ing the said projects. Atty. Judith Patriarca-Mantos, DARthe privilege to identify and select the particular type of package they wish to ZamboangaSibugay’s Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, Payao be installed as part of the project. Carol Mendoza and CPWASH likewise enhances and Mayor upgrade the quality of water resources USSFARMCO’s Chair Epifanio Abel took in selected communities needing it the part in the signing of the Memorandum most. The project includes the con- of Agreement (MOA) on the second day struction of low-cost sanitation struc- of the activity as witnessed by PARPO I tures or facilities in partnership with the ElizardoVillaseca, CARPO-PBDD AnLGU concerned, which included Iron- thony Teves,Lala Culanculan of DAR Re-
gional Office and residents of Brgy. Up- a death incident and several diseases in per Sumilong, some of whom are also Upper Sumilongcaused by dirty water usage in the previous years. officers and members of USCMPC. The lady executive committed herIn her message, Atty. Mantos shared that DAR’s assistance in Upper self to support the program from its iniSumilong and the Agrarian Reform tiation until its completion and even exCommunities (ARCs) of Payao can be pressed the same commitment to its extraced back even before Zamboanga pansion and future replication in other Sibugay was separated from communities within the municipality. On the part of USSFARMCO, ChairZamboangadel Sur. All the more thereafter, also because of very supportive man Abel assured of his full participaLGU officials, especially during the time tion in the project and guaranteed to enof Mayor Joefer Mendoza until this day. courage all coop members to get inShe added that potable drinking water volved as well.(John Lloyd Cababat of is needed in the community and that DAR-ZamboangaSibugayProvincial Inthe project is a big help to the recipient formation Section) coop members. As proof of such support to DAR’s programs, LGUPa y a o a l l o c a t e d P50,000 as its counterpart for the completion of the project. Mayor Mendoza, a nurse herself, emphasized the significance of having clean and safe water for daily Mayor Carol Mendoza ceremoniously handed over the cheque worth consumption, citing P50,000 from LGU-Payao to USSFARMCO Chairman Epifanio Abel.
DAR Turns over PAMANA Projects in San Pablo THE Department of Agrarian Reform in Zamboanga del Sur province has turned over a total of 27 infrastructure projects funded by the Payapa at MasaganangPamayananin Agrarian Reform Areas (PAMANA-ARA) to 27 People’s Organization (POs) in San Pablo town on October 28-29, 2014. In attendance during the turnover ceremony were Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Arturo Soria and San Pablo Mayor Belman Mantos together with the 27 barangay captains who were the recipients of the projects. The PAMANA-ARA is a program under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) in partnership with DAR. Soria is pleased with the realization of the PAMANA projects in the municipality namely: Multi-Purpose Pavements in Miasin, Bag-ong Mizamis, and Tubo-Pait; Roofing of Existing Multi- Purpose Pavement
(Phase I)in Marcos Village; Fish Port (Phase I) in Ticala Island; Graveling of Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in Poblacion; Graveling of FMR segment in Villakapa; Improvement of existing Level II Water System in Payag and Daplayan; Repair and Improvement of existing Level II Water System in Songgoy; Pathway concreting in Tandubuay; MultiPurpose Buildings in Kondum, Lumbayao andMulansong; Perimeter fence in Bubual; Day Care Center (Phase II) in Pongapong, San Juan, Kapamanok and Pao; One Classroom Building (Phase II) in Pantad; Mechanical Drier Facilities (I) in Kalilangan; Level II Water System in Mabuhay; 1 Classroom building (Phase II) in Sacbulan; Existing Level II Water System in Teniapan and Culasian ; and Rehabilitation of existing Level II Water System in Sagasan. Continu e on page 6 ontinue
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Agrarian Reform Chronicles
October-December 2014
The Department of Agr Communities Project r Rice Intensification (S program in Zamboan Adelberto Banique strengthen the know farmers through techni rice cult
Distribution of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards in the municipalities of Guipos, Tukuran, Dumalinao and Pagadian City in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.
PARPO II Arthur N. Soria of DARPO Zamboanga del Sur and Mayor Liwaya Angcap-Paras of the local government of Midsalip sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the implementation of the Pangasi Wine Processing.
Graduation of Season-Long Intensification Organic Rice
Ground breaking of DAR-PAMANAspearheaded by PA
October-December 2014
rarian Reform-Agrarian Reform recently launched the System of SRI) to support the rice organic nga del Norte. SRI Consultant ed said that SRI is aimed to wledge, capacity and skills of cal information to improve their tivation methods.
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Presentation and discussion of the Monitoring and Evaluation Tool for Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) in Region IX. ARCP2 National Coordinator Herman Ongkiko said that PAHP is a hollistic approach to alleviate the poor household from hunger and poverty. Through PAHP it will bring together the programs of the government to focus on providing services to benefit the poor sectors in the rural areas. PAHP’s goal is to eliminate hunger, food security, and reduce poverty. PAHP is a partnership project between the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agriculture and the Local Government Units of the covered municipalities.Gracing the 2-day event were DAR-IX Regional Director Julita Ragandang, FAO Consultant Flavio Luis Mazzaro de Freitas and other Central, Regional and Provincial Representatives.
Farmer’s Field School on System of Rice Production in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur.
-ARA projects in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur ARPO II Arthuro N. Soria
Korean Rural Community Corporation representatives visit Zamboanga Peninsula
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October-December 2014
P5-M FMR set to benefit farmer-beneficiaries in Mutia
THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Mutia inZamboanga del Norte to formally implement the concreting of Poblacion to Diland Farm-toMarket Road worth P5 million. “We genuinely hope that with the implementation of the farm-to-market road, it will encourage the farmer beneficiaries to engage in more profitable income-generating activities to Mayor Arthur C. Tenorio of Mutia, Zamboanga del Norte and PARPO II Moh. Dassan help increase their household Adju of DAR Zamboanga del Norte led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for income,” said Provincial Agrar- the P5 million farm-to-market road ian Reform Program Officer II Under the Bottom-Up formerly called Grassroots ParMoh. Dassan J. Adju. Planning and Budgeting (BUPB) ticipatory Budgeting (GPB)
DAR Turns over PAMANA Projects in San Pablo Continued fr om page 3 from DAR Regional Director Julita Ragandang, who approved these projects, expects that the recipient PO’s will properly maintain, take care and sustain these to
benefit even the coming generation. These 27 projects will benefit some 2,719 agrarian reform beneficiaries, 5,534 households and some 26,069 populace in San
Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur. These completed projects in San Pablo are among the 166 projects in 166 barangays in six municipalities in the province. Mayor Mantos is grateful to DAR for the realization of these projects to put an end to
which was formally adopted through DBM-DILG-DSWDNAPC Joint Memorandum Circular Goal, poverty reduction programs and community inclusive growth projects must be implemented to conform to the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan. LGU Mutia will complement the project through 5% required cash counterpart that amounts to P250,000 while DAR will shoulder P4.7 million. Mayor Arthur C. Tenorio also expressed gratefulness to DAR for recognizing the needs of the community through the realization of the project.
internal conflicts and alleviate poverty in San Pablo. PARPO I Sherwin Tubog furtherurged everyone to support PAMARA – ARA, “thePhilippine Government’s framework for peace and development”.
Talusan barangay, women’s association benefit from DAR-PAMANA-ARA piggery project ONE barangay and one women’s association from Talusan, Zamboanga Sibugay have benefited from a P150,000 piggery breeding and propagation project under the Department of Agrarian Refom’sPayapa at Masaganang Pamayanan in Agrarian Reform Communities (PAMANA-ARA) project. Barangay Florida and Florida Women’s Association (FWA) received the livestock packages which consisted of 14 heads of piglets, swine feeds, drugs and biologics, and piggery housing during the turn-over ceremony conducted on October 16, 2014. Orlando Ramiso, Talusan’s town mayor, is thankful of the project as it benefited not only a barangay and an association in his municipality, but his constituents. He encouraged the re-
JenitaViray, Florida Women’s Association President stresses some points during the turnover ceremony
cipients to love the project and eventually help insustaining the same. The ceremonialn turn-over of the project was attended to by DAR Main Office (Quezon City)
representatives headed by Mr. Stephen Mangupag, of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Support Services Office and PAMANA-ARA Point Person for DAR IX Jerry Pascua, Engr.
Archie Arabani and Romulus Perez, PAMANA-ARA Point Persons for Region IX and Zamboanga Sibugay, respectively; and Talusan MARO Francisco Yurong, PARCCOM Chairman Vicente Matugas, local media representatives and some LGU officials and employees in Talusan. FWA President JenitaViray, speaking on behalf of the association, expressed her gratitude to the DAR for choosing them to be the beneficiary of the said project. She committed to making the project in the barangay a big success, thereby showing what the women can do in terms of managing and operating livelihood project. ( John Lloyd Cababat of DAR-Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Information Section}
October-December 2014
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DAR Zambo Sibugay distributes individual CLOAs to Imelda ARBs THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Zamboanga Sibugay distributed 76 hectares of land to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Barangay Lumpanac in Imelda town. A total of 63 farmer-beneficiaries enthusiastically accepted the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) as proofs of their land ownership in a simple ceremony held on October 16, 2014. The 76-hectare agricultural land is a portion of the more than a thousand-hectare traversing Siay-Imelda-Payao municipalities in the province. Being a property owned by the government, the area land was placed under the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by virtue of Executive Order No. 448 mandating, among others, that all government properties suited for agricultural purposes will be placed under the program and eventually be distributed to the farmer-beneficiaries. Since 1992, the large tract of agricultural land has been covered collectively by one single title until last year when it was subdivided based on actual possession and individual tillage, and the identified ARBs
Farmer-beneficiaries of Lumpanac, Imelda show with pride their CLOAs
were issued with corresponding titles of their own. In her message, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Atty. Judith PatriarcaMantos stressed that recipients of the land must religiously pay the taxes due the land. Unlike other lands acquired and distributed under the program, this land is owned by the government. Therefore, recipients have no obligation to amortize or pay the value of the land to either a private landowner or to the Land Bank of the Philippines. She also added that besides paying the realty taxes due the land to their local government, recipients
have to preserve the land and ensure its optimum use to augment their family income. Mayor Roselyn Silva lauded DAR for what it does to her municipality, and for being a consistent partner with her administration in promoting quality lives for her constituents. She even compared how difficult it is to obtain title to property under the regular process, but with DAR, the ARBs acquired their properties with ease, lesser expenses and titles were delivered to them almost at their doorsteps. Having recognized the financial state of the ARBs, she gave instructions to her municipal collection officials to accept payments of taxes in an installment basis. The mayor also congratulated the beneficiaries for being finally awarded their long desired land titles through DAR’s effort. Also present in the activity were Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer-Operations Perlidita Engalla, Legal Division OICChief Reynaldo Mantos, Municipal Argarian Reform Officers Rogelio Gallebo and Janeth Aranas of Imelda and Payao, respectively, and some LGU officials and employees. (DAR-ZamboangaSibugay Provincial Information Section)
DAR, KFI, 2 Sibugay coops sign CPPA THE long wait is over for the two farmers’ cooperatives as agreements for cacao growing and production were finally contracted out last October 27. Representatives from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Kennemer Foods International (KFI) and Culasian-Supit Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CUSARBEMCO) in Titay and Upper Sumilong Small Farmers Cooperative (USSFARMCO) in Payao, signed their respective Cacao Production and Purchase Agreements (CPPAs). KFI is a Davao City-based firm engaged in buying cacao and supplying said products to chocolate manufacturers, both local and abroad. The joint venture was conceptualized after KFI identified the increasing demand for cacao in the market being the primary component in chocolate production. The municipalities of Payao and Titay are considered to be pilot areas for the project through their cooperatives, which possess the suitable vast tracts of land for
growing cacao. Under the signed purchase agreements, CPPA, CUSARBEMCO and USSFARMCO will be growing and producing certain volumes of cacao for KFI, for a duration of 10 years from the execution of the contract. On the other hand, KFI is obligated to provide planting materials for the farmers, including the necessary training skills for the would-be cacao “doctors”. The latter is important to assess conditions of cacao and treat possible diseases should they arise anytime. Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I ElizardoVillaseca, who signed the contract for DAR, said he is hoping for a successful endeavour between the contracting parties, especially on the side of the farmers’ cooperatives. With confidence, he stressed out the fair stipulations of the contract after they were thoroughly reviewed by the DAR Task Force created to monitor agribusiness venture agreements (AVAs) and oversee their implementation. Apart from the two contracting cooperatives, four other cooperatives were oriented
on the nature of AVAs, namely: TIMARBEMCO (Tungawan), GARBEMCO (Kabasalan), and SARBEMCO and TARBEMCO, both of Naga town. This also gave an insight to the coop officials that other high valued crops like cacao can also be grown in their respective areas primarily planted to rubber. They may wish to venture into growing cacao, even as just being intercropped with rubber or other agricultural crops. During the signing of the agribusiness ventures agreements, KFI Area Manager Allan Datu Imam represented the corporation’s president Simon Bakker, while CUSARBEMCO and USSFARMCO took part in the signing through their Chairpersons Nilda G. Sentillas and Epifanio Abel. DAR-Zamboanga Sibugay was represented by PARPO I ElizardoVillaseca, Program Beneficiaries Development Division Chief Anthony Teves, Municipal Agrarian Reform Officers JanethAranas and Ana Maria Calonia, of Payao and Titay towns, respectively, and some other personnel. (John Lloyd Cababat. Provincial Information Section, DAR-ZSP)
Agrarian Reform Chronicles
PAMANA-ARA recipients gather assorted stuffs for their large cattles A TOTAL of 26 officers from the different
Peoples Organizations (POs) and barangays of Talusan in• Zamboanga Sibugay province went out from the comforts of the island-municipality to address concern on establishing longterm pasture and grazing areas for large cattles and other livestock projects. It can be recalled that Talusan, with its 17 barangays, is the recipient of the various projects implemented through thePayapa’t Masaganang Pamayanan in Agrarian Reform Areas (PAMANA-ARA). This is funded by the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and complemented by the De-
Assorted grasses collected from PCC and ZAMPIARC for POs’ propagation.
partment of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Just recently, DAR-Zamboanga Sibugay with OIC PARPO II Judith Patriarca-Mantos, together with the local government unit of Talusan, headed by Mayor and Engineer Orlando Ramiso, signed the Memorandum of Agreement for the Pillar 2 projects under PAMANAARA . No less than DAR 9 Regional Director Julita A. Ragandang graced the event. Also in attendance were PARPO I ElizardoVillaseca, CARPO for PBD Anthony Teves, and Talusan’s Vice Mayor Edmundo Catingub and other munici-
The project recipients with OIC Director Cecilio Velez, DVM at the PCC, Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte (farthest back). Also with the team were MARPO Yurong( Standing 4th to the left), and PAMANA–ARA PP, Romulus Perez (Standing, 2nd to the right).
Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) and the Agri-Technical Institute (ATI) of the province, stakeholders come up with a solution to such concern. On September 18, 2014, MARPO Francisco Yurong and PAMANA-ARA Point Person Romulus M. Perez, led some chosen officers of the recipient Barangays and POs to the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in Kalawit, Zamboanga Del Norte, and the Zamboanga Peninsula Integrated Agricultural Research Center (ZAMPIARC) in Saniton in Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Editors-in-Chief GLORIA M. SARACHO MA. SOCORRO C. REAMBONANZA
Assistant Editor SUZETTE T. LOTA
Contributing Editors SHANIE P. JACINTO LAILANIE VIC S. VALDEZ CHRISTINE MAE V. BOMES ARNETTE COMIQUE JOHN LLOYD CABABAT JULITA A. RAGANDANG Regional Director
ATTY. RAMON E. MADROÑAL, JR. ARD for ADMIN. & Legal Services The POs at the Phlippine Carabao Center in Zamboanga del Norte actually “feeling” the cattle-raising initiative.
such project to just go to waste or fail. Being an island municipality, Talusan has limited stuff to serve as food for the grazing animals. It could be even more difficult when weather becomes hotter and soil gets dry within the year. After series of social preparation activities and skills trainings to the target POs in the area, and with the invaluable input coming from the
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With the growing number of recipient-POs for the project in Talusan, so is the need for wider, bigger and enduring pasture and grazing areas for large cattles, especially during dry season. This concern is to be addressed at once in order to avoid
Amidst heavy rains, POs gathered and collected the grasses. With them was Livestock Researcher of ZAMPIARC (Ipil), Ms. Gladys Marie Dagandan.
October-December 2014
ENGR. AGNES Y. MAATA ARD for LTS/TASS
On a big dump truck provided by the LGU of Talusan, they went to these agencies for a visit, learned some useful techniques of raising and caring for large cattles, and gathered assorted varieties of legumes, and grasses - Guatemala, Setaria, Star Grass, Paspalum, and Guinia Grass, to name a few - for propagation in their own respective barangays. They have to plant the same early and prepare for the actual dispersal activity. Each of the recipients wanted to establish his own minibackyard pasture so as to be up and pre-
pared when he gets his share of the dispersed cattle, even during dry season. (DAR Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Information Section)
Actual uprooting of grasses and legumes by the POs despite heavy downpour of rains at PCC, Zamboanga del Norte.
Getting things done after a rainy day. POs getting ready to haul their collected grasses aboard a dump truck of the municipality of Talusan.
For inquiries, please write or call the DAR Regional Office IX, Veterans Avenue Extension, Zamboanga City Telephone No. (062) 955-2155 Email add: dar_reg9@yahoo.com.ph
Guinea Grass ready for uprooting by RMP.
pal key officials. Some of the identified projects for implementation are Water Systems, Day Care Centers, and Dispersal Projects of Livestock and Large Cattles, to name a few. The latter project seemed to have the most number of requesting POs, perhaps, because of the undeniable success of such dispersal project under PAMANA-ARA Pillar 1.
At the PCC (Kalawit) with, MARPO Yurong, PAMANA-ARA PP RMPerez, Cawilan Farmer’s Association Vice Chairman Carlito Carpio.