DAR Secretary John Castriciones leads the ceremonial awarding of livelihood grants to Tarlac agrarian reform beneficiaries. Photo courtesy of PIA-3
ANAO, Tarlac – Some P2 million in livelihood assistance was distributed by the Department of Agrarian Reform to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province.
ARBold Move Project is a program launched in this time of Covid-19 to help farmers who were affected by the crisis, as well as recognize their role in ensuring food security amid the pandemic.
In his message, DAR Secretary John Castriciones emphasized the importance of farmers in the nourishment of the Filipinos: “In today’s time, we’ve seen how everyone was affected by the health crisis. We need people who will plant so we can have food on our tables. Without the farmers, the whole country will not have food to eat.”
“You are one of the true heroes of our country, the hope of our country,” he told farmers.
In fulfillment of the first component of the ARBold Move Project, which recognizes agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations as frontline workers, DAR distributed P5,000–worth of personal protective equipment sets to Lawin Farmers Credit Cooperative of Moncada and San Manuel Tarlac Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
For the second component, which aims to provide farm productivity assistance to ARBs, DAR gave out P244,000 worth of fertilizer and vegetable seeds to Bacquero Sur Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, Lawin Farmers Credit Cooperative of Moncada, and Amia Cruz Agriculture Cooperative.
Under the third component which pursues to give livelihood support for women ARBs, P30,000 worth of rice retailing enterprise was awarded to Amia Cruz Agriculture Cooperative, Teresita Delos Reyes, and Marciana Custodio.
Apart from the ARBold Move Project, P2.7 million worth of farm machineries including 35 horsepower tractors with complete farm implements were given to TG-58 Irrigators Service Association, and Samahan ng Magsasaka ng San Roque, Rizal, Poblacion, Inc. This is included in the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Program of DAR for common service facilities.
At present, DAR’s distribution of assistance is still ongoing in the different municipalities of the province. — Gabriela Liana Barela/PIA–3
