33 ARB organizations in EV turn coops

By JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
September 14, 2025

PALO, Leyte – Members of 33 agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) from across Eastern Visayas celebrated as they received their Certificates of Compliance (COC) and Certificates of Registration (COR) from the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) transforming them into cooperatives during the ARB Summit cum DAR-CDA ARBO Cooperative Registration Caravan held on the 4th and 5th of September this year at The Tropics in this town.

Rosita Espiño, vice-chairman of the Anthurium Farmers ARB Cooperative in Alangalang, Leyte, kept on applauding while Undersecretary Alexander Raquepo, CDA chairman, enumerated the various benefits a cooperative gets, including the tax exemption. Espiño commented, “Good that we are now a cooperative.”

CDA Assistant Regional Director Maripaz Del Pilar, in turn, clarified in her orientation that the tax exemption should be applied at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

9-Other ARBOs who received their CORs and COCs on Friday from the CDA chairman himself were the Naval Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Naval, Biliran; Cabucgayan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Cabucgayan, Biliran; Uswag Guindag-an ng Tanauan Leyte Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative, Tanauan, Leyte; Calubian United Farmers Agriculture Cooperative, Dulag, Leyte; Bulod Coconut Corn and Rice Agriculture Cooperative, Dulag, Leyte; Telegrafo Farmers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative, Tolosa, Leyte; Nagkaisang Magsasaka ng Tanauan Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Tanauan, Leyte; Tagbacan Beneficiaries Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Salcedo, Eastern Samar; Libas Agrarian Reform Cooperative, San Julian, Eastern Samar; Allen Organic Vegetable Raiser Agriculture Cooperative, Allen, Northern Samar; Coroconog Agrarian Reform Cooperative, San Roque, Northern Samar; San Isidro Agrarian Reform Cooperative, San Isidro, Northern Samar; San Ramon Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Pambujan, Northern Samar;

Rosalim Agrarian Reform Cooperative, San Jorge, Samar; Calbiga Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Calbiga, Samar; VOFFA Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Pagsanghan, Samar; Calapi Irrigators Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Motiong, Samar; San Eduardo Farmers Agrarian Reform Coopeartive, Santa Rita, Samar; Mambog Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Pinabacdao, Samar; Mayabay Agrarian Reform Coopeartive, Daram, Samar; Tubigan Integrated Fisherfolks and Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Zumarraga, Samar; Anibongon Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Santa Rita, Samar; Old Manunca Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Santa Rita, Samar; So. Rizal Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Basey, Samar; Macaalan Cacao Processor Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Calbiga, Samar; Balud Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Sta. Margarita, Samar; Villa Aurora Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Santa Rita, Samar; Tinago Heritage Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Tarangnan, Samar;

Rizal Tomas Oppus Agrarian Reform, Tomas Oppus, Southern Leyte; New Katipunan Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Malitbog, Southern Leyte; Pandan Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Liloan, Southern Leyte; and the Anilao Green Yield Agrarian Reform Cooperative, Liloan, Southern Leyte.

Meanwhile, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Eastern Visayas Regional Director, Atty. Robert Anthony Yu, Expressed his gratitude to the various government agencies for responding to his invitation in sharing their programs and services to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) on the said occasion.

Aside from the CDA, other agencies who participated in the said event included the Philhealth, giving around 500 ARBs and ARBO members present an opportunity to be enrolled at Philhealth and get their membership cards right on the said occasion. The Department of Agriculture extended animal dispersal to four ARBOs under the SAAD program.

Further, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) presented to the Pancil Ecological and Rehabilitation Agrarian Reform Cooperative their notice of loan approval worth half a million pesos for hog fattening of 30 ARBs; while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) handed statement of support by providing free skills training to ARBs.

Representatives from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) who were likewise present, oriented the participants about their agency’s respective programs and how one could avail of their services.