COTABATO CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAR-ARMM) celebrated recently its 27th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here.
Amihilda Sangcopan, DAR-ARMM Secretary, said the event was aimed at celebrating the achievements of agrarian reform in the region after the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was signed by the late President Corazon Aquino on 10 June 1988.
Sec. Sangcopan said the ARMM has distributed under its land tenure system a total of 263,563 hectares to 68,087 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), contributing roughly 6% of the nationwide accomplishment of 4.45 million hectares land distributed. The region, Sec. Sangcopan added, has 112,290 hectares more to dispose that will benefit at least 37,430 more beneficiaries.
Data showed that a total of 8,832 cases under agrarian justice delivery were resolved in the last 27 years, and 19,392 ARBs were capacitated through training in the area of human development, financial management, and agricultural technology.
The program dubbed ‘Balik Tanaw sa 27-Taon ng Pagpapatupad ng CARP’ bannered the theme “Nurturing the Gains, Strengthening Partnerships for Reform and Sustainable Rural Development.”
The highlight of the celebration was the distribution of P20-million worth of common service facilities to agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations under the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS).
The ARCCESS is the department’s strategic intervention to retain the awarded lands of the ARBs through production and engagement in agri-based and related enterprises.
The facilities included six units of four-wheel drive tractors, three units of corn sheller-huskers, three units of hand tractors and one unit of power tiller cultivator. Gulam Omar, chairman of the Mangal Agrarian Refrom Beneficiaries Development Cooperative (MARBEDCO) based in Sumisip, Basilan received one unit of four-wheel drive tractor.
The MARBEDCO, which started in 1994, has long operated for 21 years with 246 members. He said the tractor will facilitate the transport and delivery of agricultural products such as rubber and coconut. “Malaking tulong ang tractor dahil hindi na kami mahihirapan i-deliver ang aming mga produkto (The tractor would be a big help to us since it would be easier to deliver our products to the markets),” Omar said.
“To our rightful ARBs, I encourage you all to continue the things that you have already started for your own good, for your family and for the community where you are living,” Laisa Alamia, ARMM’s executive secretary said.
Another highlight of the celebration was the launching of the new website of the agency. The website, said Sec. Sangcopan, is a way to introduce the region’s Agrarian Reform department and reintroduce CARP to the public. (Bureau of Public Information)
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