Expedition provided to APCP learners

The Officers of ARBOs who join the Learning Expedition poses at the grounds of CADECO.

Upper Photos: The group’s stop-over at the SAFADECO MiCoop and Consumer’s Store.

SORSOGON – after the series of trainings related to the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) under the Capacity Development Program of DAR-LBP, the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) have had a Learning Expedition. Although the activity was made only within the province of Sorsogon, the ARBOs appreciated it because they were able to see the different products and services of other ARBOs.

The ARBOs they visited were the Salvacion Farmers’ Development Cooperative (SAFADECO) in Sorsogon City which has a Consumer’s Store, Copra Trading, and microfinance services; the Capuy-Basud Multi-purpose Cooperative (CABAMUCO); and the Sorsogon Agro-Aquatic Development Cooperative (SAADECO) located also in Sorsogon City and both are devoted to rice milling and rice trading; the Castilla Development Cooperative (CADECO)  is a producer of Geonet, Geotextiles, and ropes. Lastly, they went to Bigkis can mga Paraoma sa Bulan, the first successful recipient of APCP. Their business is palay production and rental of Common Service Facilities from the ARCCESS program. ###

Capacitating the ARBOs in Sorsogon

Gubat, Sorsogon – series of trainings to capacitate the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) are being conducted by DAR Sorsogon under the Capacity Development Program.

Last July 14-15, 2016 seventeen (17) cooperatives enjoyed the Effective Communication Skills training the way it was delivered to them by Jenell P. Paghubasan, Chairperson of South-Luzon Federation of Cooperatives (SIDECO). The training focused more on how to deal with people from different walks of life. According to Maribel J. Lubiano, the training facilitator, it is essential for the cooperatives because they made transactions everyday, so they should know the proper way of communicating with people to achieve their goal.

This was followed by Internal Control training on July 28-29, 2016 wherein the same cooperatives were taught about the financial flow in an organization, how to audit based on existing policies, and the critical responsibilities of the Committee on Audit.

These trainings were conducted under the cooperative strengthening program of DAR in partnership with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) where the DAR is directed to provide free CDA mandated trainings to the ARBOs.

Meanwhile, trainings in preparation for the application of Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) have also started. This is a partnership program of DAR with the Land Bank of the Philippines which aims to provide the ARBOs an access to finance for production purposes. Last August 10-12, 2016 thirteen ARBOs were trained on Financial Management.

“We would like you to learn how to handle the finances of your associations or cooperatives. We would like you to know how to prepare financial reports properly. If your members are confident with the way your officers manage the finances, better camaraderie will be developed in your organization,” Samuel R. Ongcal, Jr., OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer-I told the participants.

On August 24-26, 2016, another APCP-related training was provided to forty-four (44) representatives of fifteen (15) ARBOs. Through the expertise in entrepreneurship and management of Edward N. Divinaflor, Roselyn O. Oliva, and Maria Edelyn S. Lovedario they were imparted with the knowledge of becoming an entrepreneur (its difference with businessman), agri-business, and marketing. During their workshop, the participants found opportunity to link the meat processing which they learned in a separate skills training, as a way to make income during the “waiting season” in farming.

“We assumed that the reason why you are here is because you are interested to avail our Agrarian Production Credit Program. That’s why, we would like to capacitate you through these trainings. So that in times that you already access this credit service, you will know how to manage your finances in order to prevent loss, but to make it grow, instead,”  Leonito M. Gaveria, OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer-II said.

Finally, on September 14-16, 2016 eighteen (18) ARBOs participated in the 3-day training on Basic Accounting for Non-Accountants. Again, this is part of the APCP which is their last training for the year under the Cap-Dev’t Program. ###

Meat Processing: ARBOs’ ideal farming partner

Gubat and Barcelona, Sorsogon – Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) and some women in the community feel lucky for being invited in the Meat Processing Workshop conducted by DAR Sorsogon under the Gender and Development (GAD) Program and Support to Rural Women Program.

“They can use this skills to obtain income specially during the ‘waiting season’ of farming when they are waiting for the forty-five days to harvest again of coconuts, or waiting for the four months to harvest palay,” Leila B. Halcon, GAD point person said.

Confident of their processing, the participants purchase their own produce right after the workshop. The sales become now the ARBO’s capital to start the business. Aside from the skills, they will be provided also with materials and equipment.

“To see them appreciate the projects and services that we offer is enough consolation to our effort,” Julie L. Encinas, Training Facilitator said as she saw the smiles of satisfaction from the participants after the activity. ###

VLPCE Project in Bulan, blooms

Bulan, Sorsogon – two (2) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) is now enjoying the Village-Level Processing Center Enhancement (VLPCE) Project of DAR.

After series of trainings which began with pili candy making, packaging, labeling, marketing, and other related skills the Fabrica Women’s Association (FAWAS) in Bulan, Sorsogon is now producing Mom’s Best Pili Candies and Pastries. Recently, they were taught and informed about a set of sanitation guidelines for the physical and processing operations by Fe G. Bailon, the Resource Speaker in the training on Current Good Manufacturing Practices. The main goal of the training is to ensure the consumers that the manufacturing plant of the food they patronize has an ideal working environment with clean, safe and high quality of food products.

Also in Brgy.Nasuje, Bulan, Sorsogon after series of trainings on food processing, the dried fish products of Antipolo-Namo-Nasuje-Inararan-Calomagon (ANNIC) Multi-purpose Cooperative is now ready for market. The Food and Drug Administration had awarded the cooperative the license to operate. DAR expects that this occasion marks the beginning of economic growth of the five barangays. ###

DAR inks partnership with Sorsogon provincial government

Castilla, Sorsogon – Goat Production Project was launched on August 11, 2016 seven days after Hon. Roberto A. Lee-Rodrigueza signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Mayon Farmers’ Association (MAFA). Allan Marchan, member of MAFA was fortunate for being chosen as ARB-Cooperator.

According to Thomas Diesta, Organic Agriculture Point Person of DAR Sorsogon this is not the first time that a project was entrusted to Marchan.

“Since 2013, he has been my partner in organic vegetable production, ‘babuyang walang amoy’, and poultry or chicken rearing. We saw that each project we hand over to him, do well. That’s why, we have chosen him again for this goat production project,” Diesta said.

Leonito M. Gaveria, OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II who visited Allan’s farm was also convinced that they have chosen the right farmer for this project.

“Allan’s diligence becomes his passport to access a project like this. He is a model farmer for you to imitate. Your challenge is to multiply Allan here in Castilla so that you may also benefit like him,” PARPO Gaveria told the members of MAFA and other farmers who attended the launching in San Vicente, Castilla, Sorsogon. ###

ARBOs, trained on Basic Accounting for Non-Accountants in support to APCP

Gubat, Sorsogon –3-day training on Basic Accounting for Non-Accountant was conducted by DAR Sorsogon in support to the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP). Facilitated by Maribel J. Lubiano, the training was attended by eighteen (18) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries’ Organizations (ARBOs) who learned more accounting basics from Virgelene S. Ebdani and Evelyn B. Peña, resource speakers from South Luzon Federation of Cooperatives (SIDECO).#

DAR, proud of SAFADECO

“I am proud to inform you that in Bicol region, only two provinces have ARBOs that reached level five, the highest rating in the latest ITeMA. One of these is Sorsogon, and it was SAFADECO that brought us in,” Liza B. Repotente, Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer (CARPO) for the Program Beneficiaries Development Division proudly announced to the employees of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) the recent result of Information Technology enabled Maturity Assessment (ITeMA).

The same feeling was expressed by Leonito M. Gaveria, OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II as he reiterated the inspiring news to the Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM) in Sorsogon. 

ITeMA is a tool used by DAR in determining the level of development of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs). It has six (6) major indicators: organizational management; resource management; social enterprise operations; financial performance; alliance building and sustainability; and environmental and social responsibility.

There is another reason for DAR and SAFADECO (Salvacion Farmers’ Development Cooperative) to rejoice, that is, a year after the launching of their satellite office in Irosin, the cooperative celebrated the satellite’s first anniversary meaningfully by applying the seventh Cooperative Principle which is Concern for Community. SAFADECO with the help of Hon. Deogracias “Ding” Ramos, Mayor Pidoy Cielo and Gov. Roberto “Bobet” Rodrigueza, sponsored Health Awareness Campaign in Irosin, Sorsogon on July 23, 2016. Dr. Michael Galan and Dr. Helen Teves; the Rural Health Unit; and the Barangay Health Workers supported their action by volunteering their time and effort. Twenty-eight (28) members, forty-two (42) member-households and twelve (12) non-members from Irosin, Juban, Bulan and Sorsogon City were benefited of this activity. ###