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924 ARBs in NegOcc to benefit from convergence livelihood aid

By Erwin Nicavera

May 2, 2019, 3:48 pm

 

BACOLOD CITY -- A total of 924 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Occidental will benefit from the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Project (CLAAP)  which is being jointly implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

A report from the DAR on Thursday said both agencies signed a memorandum of agreement and launched the project in this city recently.  

The beneficiaries are members of 27 ARB organizations from the cities of Bacolod, Cadiz, Himamaylan, Kabankalan and Bago, and municipalities of EB Magalona, Manapla, Toboso, Calatrava, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, and Cauayan.

In a statement, DAR 6 (Western Visayas) Director Stephen Leonidas urged the ARBs to do their part in improving their lives through the assistance from the government.

“As long as the DAR exists, the implementation of its programs will continue with the support of its beneficiaries. CLAAP will succeed through the help and support of each and every ARB,” Leonidas added.  

The CLAAP, being implemented for two years until December 2019, aims to expand and increase the ARBs’ access to economic opportunities through technical assistance in the form of training, coaching, and mentoring on enterprise operation and management.

The ARBs will receive capital assistance for livelihood and microenterprise projects.

Under the agreement, DSWD will fund the project while DAR will provide social preparation, technical capacity building, and seed capital assistance of PHP25,000 per eligible CLAAP beneficiary.

The DSWD will allocate and transfer PHP1 billion to the DAR from its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) fund.

Restituto Macuto, national coordinator of DSWD-SLP, said the DAR, DSWD and other national agencies are ready to assist the ARBs in the implementation of the projects.

“The success of the implementation of the program lies on the hands of the farmers,” he added.

Pontevedra Municipal Mayor Jose Benito Alonso thanked the DAR for choosing five ARB organizations in his town as beneficiaries.

Joel Villaruel of the Barangay San Pablo Farmers Association in Manapla also expressed his gratitude to both agencies for the project that could help their families. (PNA)

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