DAR gives P1.5M
for the establishment of greenhouse in Palo
Assistant
Regional Director Ismael Aya-ay of the Department of Agrarian
Reform in Eastern Visayas, representing Regional Director Robert
Anthony Yu, and Mayor Remedios Petilla sign a memorandum of
agreement for the implementation of DAR’s Sustainable and
Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs) program in the
municipality of Palo. |
By
JOSE ALMSITH L. SORIA
January 23, 2023
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) downloaded P1.5-Million to the
local government unit (LGU) of Palo in the province of Leyte for the
establishment of a greenhouse that will be managed by an agrarian
reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO).
DAR Eastern Visayas chief
of the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD), Melecia
Ong, disclosed that the said amount is taken from the Agrarian
Reform Fund (ARF) for the implementation of the Sustainable and
Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs) program.
She further disclosed that
the SANAG (San Agustin) Rice Farmers and Livelihood Association, a
DAR-assisted farmer organization within the Palo Agrarian Reform
Community (ARC), was pre-selected to be the recipient of the
greenhouse to help them expand their livelihood activities and
generate more income by undertaking the enterprise-based crop
nursery project, which is in line with the food security program of
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the nine primary goals of
Agrarian Reform Secretary Connrado Estrella III, particularly in the
provision of modern farm equipment to agrarian reform beneficiaries
(ARBs).
Ong added that the strong
support of Mayor Remedios Petilla made this municipality qualify for
the said project.
The collaboration between
DAR and the Palo LGU was sealed towards the end of December last
year when DAR Eastern Visayas Assistant Regional Director for
Administration and Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development
Sustainability Program, Ismael Aya-ay, representing Regional
Director Robert Anthony Yu, and Petilla signed the memorandum of
agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the said project.
The LGU will take the lead
in the implementation of this project including the engagement and
procurement of goods and items.
Petilla, expressed her
appreciation and thanks to DAR for choosing her municipality as the
recipient of the said project.
According to her, DAR is
very receptive. She assured DAR officials and other national
agencies of the LGU’s support to any agricultural projects.
“We hope we can put our
hearts and minds together to really come up with good agricultural
production areas in the province of Leyte, especially in the first
district,” Petilla added.
Aside from the benefits
the recipient ARBO will get, this project will provide the farmers
in the locality access to quality seeds and seedlings and ensure the
production of improved crop varieties and better quality of plant
materials.
Aya-ay and Petilla
likewise talked of intensifying production of herbs and flowers
which are also in demand in the markets.