“Biyahe ni Drew” features E. Samar farmers’ products

By LEMUELL SETH TONOG, DAR Eastern Samar
August 22, 2023

HERNANI, Eastern Samar – Watch out for the episode of “Biyahe ni Drew” featuring this picturesque town in the island of Samar.

Among those that will be featured in the said episode of the travel documentary show, hosted by Drew Arellano (Andrew James Arellano in real life) and aired every Sunday at 8:25 in the evening over GTV, are the canton noodles and crackers made from squash by an agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO).

Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Glicerio Camenforte shared that while Arellano was going around the different beach locations and savouring local foods, he noticed the San Miguel Farmers Association’s (SMFA’s) squash noodles and crackers and got interested on them. Eventually, Arellano joined SMFA president, Bernardina Docong, in the process of making the ARBO’s products, said Camenforte.

Arellano shared, “Laking DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) din po ako.” “Palagi po akong dinadala ng lolo ko sa kanyang opisina sa DAR noong sya ay nagtratrabaho pa,” he added.

SMFA was organized by the DAR in 2014, after super Typhoon Yolanda devastated many parts of Eastern Visayas, to be able to avail of various assistance. At the moment, according to Camenforte, SMFA has 50 members already who are all agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Docong meanwhile disclosed: “In 2018, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) trained us in making squash noodles and crackers.” “It also provided us with the materials and equipment needed in the production,” she added.