DAR Holds Consultation with ARBOs on Growership Scheme

The Department of Agrarian Reform in partnership with the Agrarian Reform Communities Project Phase 2 (ARCP2) conducted a consultation meeting with selected agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) on growership scheme. DAR’s Chief for Operations, Engr. Ronald Gadaingan, explains that this arrangement features subdivision of areas awarded collectively to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) such as cooperatives of self-managed plantations. This fragments them into individual farm lots in order to empower the individual ARB to have greater control over the cultivation and production of crops in the awarded areas. 

The growership scheme came into light when the DAR Provincial Office embarked on an educational tour to plantations in the Davao region with officials from some ARBOs. Most tour participants were overwhelmed with the success of the growership scheme of farming system in the region and entertained the possibility of emulating from these experiences to be applied in their respective plantation- based cooperatives in Basilan.

Prior to this consultation, meetings were held with DAR major stakeholders like the Land Bank of the Philippines, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Trade and Industry, and Cooperative Development Authority to discuss on how to continue productivity and improvement when these organizations shall have already subdivided. These series of consultations were aimed at making the stakeholders and key players appreciate the concept and understand the intricacies of implementing the growership scheme and eventually guide the coop officers and members to make a decision whether to shift into this new farming system or not.

 

During the consultation, the agrarian reform beneficiaries manifested interest and enthusiasm  over the new set up  as well raised concerns, skepticism, and apprehensions at the same time. Concerns include listing and delisting of ARBs, opportunities of other crops to be marketed, payment of separation benefits, and amortization.

Marilou Cruz of the Cooperative Development Authority stated that the growership arrangement should have been the ideal operating system in terms of managing the agrarian reform cooperatives. Right from the start, each ARB should have an assigned area to cultivate. In order to sustain the operations of the organization, about 10% of the coop’s funds should be set aside as a statutory fund and a portion for community, infrastructure, and training and education of its members. It has also been observed that most ARBOs have poor record management and urged them to review their policies on lending.

  

Schedule was set for each ARC’s referendum where this growership scheme will be presented to the general assembly for ratification. Subsequent activities shall then follow which is the preparation of program of work for submission to ARCP2 National Program Coordination Office for bidding and physical subdivision survey, revalidation of all ARBs who will stand to receive an individual farm lot, and preparation of Memorandum of Agreement between the cooperative and the individual ARB.

 

Present were members of the board of directors and managers coming from the organizations of Tipo-tipo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Development Cooperative (TARBADECO), Tumahubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (TARBIDC), Canas Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Development Cooperative (CARBADECO), Tairan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TARBAMC), Lamitan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (LARBECO), Sta. Clara Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (SCARBIDC), Tipo-tipo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (TIPARBECO), Mangal Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Cooperative (MARBEDCO).

DAR Joins Pakaradjaan Basilan 2014

In celebration of the 40^th founding anniversary of Basilan Province, a caravan kicked off in Tuburan and Maluso towns February 4 and 6 respectively. Dubbed Pakaradjaan Basilan 2014, the festivities carried the “Pursuing Convergence towards Development and Peaceful Community.”

 Two of the agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations that participated in the trade fair held in the city and provincial plazas held on the first week of March, the anniversary week itself. 

The community of Tairan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative (TARBAMC) displays coconut by-products, a testament that nothing goes to waste from the tree of life.

        Activities were conducted that were beneficial to the public such as medical mission spearheaded by the Provincial Health Office (PHO), distribution of fertilizers by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and giving out of seedlings by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DFA-ARMM). The Department of Agrarian Reform put up a desk to cater to walk-in clients with concern on agrarian matters. Prominent figures in the municipal affairs included Hon. Gov. Jum J. Akbar, Provincial Administrator Tahira Ismael, Board Members Hons. Yusop Alano and Otoh Fernandez as well as heads of different government agencies.

The festivities capped with a grand cultural parade on the big day itself participated by different agencies and local government units of Basilan.  Various activities followed which were held at the capital town of Isabela City. The different ARCs likewise showed their support by joining in the setting up of makeshift booths outside of the capitol grounds where they display their respective agricultural and industrial products alongside with other producing industries of the province.

Governor Jum Akbar thanked and congratulated everyone who worked behind the event to ensure its success. She further said that through concerted efforts, collective talents and shared goals, Basilan is guaranteed of a just and genuine peace. Moreover, she called on the people to support their leaders especially in facing the challenges ahead.

PAI Ends, Sends 55 ARB Dependents to School

Eleven grantees under the Programang Agraryong Iskolar (PAI) capped the final batch of successful graduates who availed of the scholarship program of the Department of Agrarian Reform bringing to a total of 55 scholars from agrarian reform communities (ARCs) around the province of Basilan.

Formerly known as the President Diosdado Macapagal Agrarian Scholarship Program, it catered to the educational needs of poor but deserving children of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).It rested on its general objective to develop a pool of highly motivated, technically equipped and well educated dependents of ARBs who will assume responsibility for managing the lands awarded to them under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and to act as agents of change in agriculture and for rural development.

Specifically, the Program aimed to make the graduates assume full responsibility for continuing the pursuit of agriculture on the lands awarded to them by CARP and make certain that they are able to sustain and enhance the productive capacities on their farms, encourage the graduates to transform the lands they will be compelled to manage to serve as model farms that will showcase as beneficial changes made in agriculture and in rural development, improve the individual and household income of the ARBs and help uplift the socio-economic condition of their communities.

Majority of the scholars took up a degree in agriculture (31%) followed by arts (20%) and sciences (18%). Under the Program, the scholars enjoyed tuition fee and miscellaneous school fees not exceeding P2,000 per semester, of which were paid directly to the partner schools. They also received a book allowance of P700 per semester and a monthly stipend of P1,000. PAI ran for a duration of 11 years (June 2003 to April 2014) targeting to send 1,500 children of farmer-beneficiaries to college.

 

LARBECO Benefits From DTI Shared Service Facilities

 Coco Coir Decorticating Machine

The Lamitan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (LARBECO) is one of the three recipients of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Shared Service Facilities Projects (SSF) in a turn over ceremony by DTI officials to the city government of Lamitan February 23, at the City Hall of Lamitan in Basilan. 

The LARBECO officials received a Coco Coir Decorticating Machine for its cooperative, while the other two (2) projects were Yakan-weaving facilities and coagulating containers for small rubber growers which were also simultaneously turned over on the same day to other recipients.

Lamitan City Vice Mayor Roderick Furigay with DTI officials turns over the equipment to LARBECO

The purpose of the machine is to separate coco fibers (coir) from coconut husk through crushing action of multiple replaceable blades with holder. With the new equipment, it is believed that it will lessen the task of coconut farmers, hasten production of its coco fibers and generate more employment and income to the said cooperative. DTI officials demonstrated to the recipient farmers the basic machine operation and maintenance after the turn-over ceremony and trainings for the maintenance and operation of the equipment will soon to follow.

LARBECO BOD Chairman, Rodelio Ramonez, receives the equipment

The cooperative availed the equipment under the DTI’s Shared Common Service Facilitator Program which amounted to PhP 400,000.00.

2 MLGUs in Basilan Participate in Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB)

 

In order to ensure the development needs of poor cities and municipalities in the country, an approach to formulate the budget proposal of national government agencies known as Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) was initiated. 

This initiative will make planning and budgeting processes of both local and national government more participatory through genuine involvement of grass root organizations and communities, thus strengthening the convergence of the delivery of national services in the community.

The purpose of this program is to provide participating agencies and LGUs with policy guidelines, processes, responsibilities, and timelines in the bottom up budgeting approach which will be applies in the preparation of fiscal year 2014 National Expenditure Program.

For this year 2014, two (2) municipal local government units of Basilan Province availed the program, namely: livelihood buy-and-sell project for Al-barka municipality and flood control/construction of drainage for Tipo-Tipo municipality. Counterpart funding on the part of the LGU is required depending on its income classification. In the case of the aforementioned LGUs since they are classified as 4^th to 6^th class municipalities, five percent (5%) of the total project cost is required. Upon approval of their BuB projects, it shall be incorporated by the participating agencies and the Department of Budget and Management in the National Expenditure Program.

The concerned participating agencies, through their local offices, shall coordinate with partner LGUs for the implementation of BuB projects. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is one of the participating national government agencies in the BuB.