DAR marks 27th anniversary with significant achievements in Region 9

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=789482
• Tuesday, August 4, 2015

(PNA), FFC/TPGJR

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 4 (PNA) -– The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has marked with high note the 27th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) here in Region 9.

This, as DAR reported significant accomplishments as far as DAR’s major programs are concerned. The programs are: land tenure services; agrarian legal services; and, technical advisory support services.

Eng’r. Felix Aguhob, DAR regional director, told the Philippines News Agency that they have so far distributed 226,200 hectares of agricultural lands to 121,515 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) as of June 30 this year through Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD).

LAD and leasehold operations fall under the land tenure services program of DAR.

Aguhob said they have surveyed 99,038.5793 hectares of new lands and subdivided 68,488.4135 hectares of collective certificates land of ownership award (CLOAs) as of June 15, this year.

Under the leasehold operations, Aguhob said that as of June 15 this year they have placed under leasehold 36,149 hectares of agricultural lands covering 20,171 ARBs.

Aguhob said they have so far resolved 491 cases under the agrarian legal services involving judicial, quasi-judicial, and agrarian law implementation as well as cases and mediation involving 284 ARBs from January to June this year.

He said they have organized 150 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in the entire region and provided assistance as far as technical advisory support service is concerned.

He said 55 of the 150 ARCs they have organized are located in Zamboanga del Norte, 49 in Zamboanga del Sur, and 46 in Zamboanga Sibugay.

He said that 121 of the 150 ARCs are with foreign assisted projects.

He said they have also organized 360 Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) consisting of 51,019 members.

There are seven on-going projects worth more than PHP81 million under the Agrarian Reform Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCES) here in the region.

Two of the seven on-going projects are in Zamboanga del Sur, three in Zamboanga del Norte and two in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The projects in Zamboanga del Sur are the following: enhancing the capability of rice farmers in organic agriculture and social enterprise in Dumingag town, PHP3.7 million; and, integrated rice-duck farming cum processing in the municipalities of Dumalinao, Kumalarang, Tigbao, and Guipos, PHP12 million.

In Zamboanga del Norte the projects are as follows: cacao production and processing development project for selected 31 ARCs in 13 municipalities, PHP31.6 million; rice mechanization cum palay production for the Guinles Farmer’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Polanco town, PHP3.4 million; and, abaca production and processing in Sindangan, PHP1.1 million.

In Zamboanga Sibugay, the projects are: sustainable trainings on rubber enterprise for technical capability of ARB households for the Federation of Agribusiness Agrarian Reform Multi-Purpose Cooperative (FAARMPC) in Naga, PHP22.6 million; and, project enhancement to assist coconut farming enterprise (PEACE) for the Zamboanga Sibugay federation of small coconut farmers (ZCFSCF) in the first congressional district of the province, PHP7 million.

Aguhob said that the FAARMPC consist of small growers of rubber in Zamboanga Sibugay, a rubber-producing province.

Aguhob said they have also provided equipment worth more than PHP5 million to the different ARBOs in the region through the delivery of common service facilities.

These included the following: two units combine harvesters; flatbed dryer; seven units brand new hand tractors; and, five units brand new reapers.

Aguhob said they will continue the implementation of the different programs lined up under the CARP.

He said they have lined up various activities in line with week-long 27th anniversary celebration that started August 1 and ends August 7.