AID PACKAGE. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental-South II is distributing aid packages to an initial 4,000 to 7,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) starting this week. The assistance is being implemented under the agency’s “Passover: Arbold Move to Heal as One Deliverance of our ARBs from the Covid-19 Pandemic” project, a project official said on Wednesday (May 20, 2020). (Photo courtesy of DAR Negros Occidental-South II)
BACOLOD CITY – An initial 4,000 to 7,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in southern Negros Occidental are expected to receive aid packages containing supplemental food and hygiene products from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) starting this week.
As of Wednesday, personnel of DAR-Negros Occidental-South II have been preparing for the distribution as part of the agency’s assistance amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis.
Arnulfo Figueroa, officer-in-charge provincial agrarian reform program officer, said through project “Passover: Arbold Move to Heal as One Deliverance of our ARBs from the Covid-19 Pandemic”, they aim to provide immediate assistance to the beneficiaries to mitigate the impact of the government’s emergency measures.
The assistance is being initiated by DAR Secretary John Castriciones in response to Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
The agency’s PHP300-million funding for the project was sourced from the reprogrammed and realigned budget of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Sustainability Program (ARBDSP) and unobligated allotment from the different units of DAR’s Support Services Office.
Provincial agrarian reform program officer Enrique Paderes said they have created a team to focus on the implementation of the project, from the planning stage to the post-project monitoring and evaluation.
He added that aside from the relief goods, other assistance, including seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, and farm tools, would also be given to the ARB organizations.
The DAR will also aid women ARBs through livelihood activities in food production, such as egg and poultry production, hog fattening, and similar activities.
Earlier this month, the DAR-Negros Occidental-South II distributed land titles and installed 67 farmers in two areas.
On May 12, a total of 57 ARBs in Barangay Abuanan, Bago City were installed on a 32.39-hectare property while on May 5, some 10 farmer-beneficiaries in Barangay Robles, La Castellana received their land titles to a 5.5658-hectare property. (PNA)
