DAR launches Dulag Agrarian Reform Community; distributes CLOA to farmers

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 19, 2006

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Mayor Themistocles Saño, Jr. of Dulag warmly welcomed the Department of Agrarian Reform Assistant Secretary Kashmir Leyretana, DAR 8 Regional Director Tiburcio Morales Jr., PARO Enrique Granados III, PIA Dir. Olive Tiu and the representatives of the line agencies like CDA, NIA, DPWH, DA, Land Bank and PCA, and the farmer beneficiaries, during the launching of the Dulag Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in Barangay Magsaysay, Dulag, Leyte on Tuesday (January 17).

Mayor Saño thanked DAR ASec Leyretana and Director Morales for making the town’s dream of declaring some of its barangays as agrarian reform communities, a reality. He said that this program of President Arroyo to alleviate poverty among the farmers as a very noteworthy undertaking because it empowers the farmer beneficiaries to make their own plans for the betterment of the whole community and at the same time this has a unifying effect not only among the beneficiaries but among the various cooperating line agencies.

He said that 70 percent of Dulag’s total land area is devoted to agriculture producing rice, corn and coconut. The seven barangays comprising the Dulag ARC has a total of 6,101 total population covering 2,758 hectares of agricultural land.

During the launching, the ARC Map, Profile and Requirements were unveiled and explained to the guests. The various projects targeted for the development of the Agrarian Reform Community were discussed starting from capability building and value-formation trainings for the farmer beneficiaries, the enterprise development aspect and coop development and the various infrastructure projects needed like farm to market roads, bridge, pre and post harvest facilities, irrigation, the agri-productivity and farm income improvement and the agri-based rural industry establishment.

Not to be left out is the delivery of basic services like potable water and health services and the gender and development aspect of the program which will include the organization of women association, the conduct of skills training, popdev seminar and tree planting activities.

The various line agencies represented expressed their respective agency’s support to the Dulag ARC and signed a covenant to that effect. A meeting of the cooperating agencies with Mayor Saño, Dir. Morales and the chairmen of the seven barangays was conducted right after the signing.

In the same occasion, sixty four CLOAs were distributed by DAR ASec Kashmir B. Leyretana and DAR 8 Director Tiburcio a. Morales Jr.  This benefits a total number of 860 farmer beneficiaries.

ASec Leyretana said that DAR Region 8 is so far the number one in the implementation of the program which is President Arroyo’s strategy to alleviate poverty among the farmers in the countryside. In 2004, DAR 8 surpassed its target posting an accomplishment of 119 percent. Targeting 14,034 hectares, DAR 8’s actual accomplishment is 16,763 hectares.

In his message, Director Morales urged those present especially the farmer beneficiaries to help President Arroyo in her fight against poverty saying “Tulungan natin and ating mahal na Pangulo sa kanyang laban – ang Paglaban sa Kahirapan.”

According to Director Morales, the farmer beneficiaries are from the clusters of Burauen, Dagami and La Paz, Leyte. The nineteen CLOAs from Burauen cover an area of 18.2644 hectares. That of Dagami covers 1.4158 hectares and will benefit three farmer beneficiaries and three CLOAs. La Paz was issued 24 CLOAs covering 1,349.6396 hectares of agricultural land that will benefit 796 farmer beneficiaries.

The Barangay Chairmen beneficiaries from La Paz, Burauen and Dagami accepted the CLOAs in behalf of the farmer beneficiaries.