The Department of Agrarian Reform on Friday lauded 10 agrarian reform communities in Cagayan Valley for their noble act of feeding frontliners in the fight against coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) as well as the needy farmers.
The agency’s regional director, Samuel Solomero, said 10 agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations in the province are doing charitable acts of feeding frontliners, manning various checkpoints and sharing their produce to fellow farmers in distress due to the month-long enhanced community quarantine.
He identified the 10 organizations as the Bantay Farmer-Producers Cooperative and SOWESFACO in Solana town; Lasvinag and Sunrise Multi-Purpose Cooperatives in Gattaran town; Payagan Farmers Cooperative and Nararagan Valley ARB Cooperative in Ballesteros town; Evergreen ARB Cooperative in Baggao; Santa Cruz Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Pamplona; Villarey ARB Cooperative in Piat, and Santa Praxedes Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
He said the farmers’ organizations have taken it upon themselves to go around and provide the front liners manning various checkpoints — the barangay public safety officers, police and soldiers — witn packs of food and snacks.
The groups also distributed relief goods to needy farmers, especially those belonging to the poorest of the poor, “reliving in the process the Filipino concept of the bayanihan spirit in their respective communities, he said.
“Indeed, at this time of the crisis, good Samaritans come to the rescue, feeding the front liners and sharing goods to fellow farmers in distress,” the DAR official said.
“It goes to show that our efforts in implementing the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program is bearing fruits according to our mission and vision — uplifting the farmers’ living condition, making them more productive and empowering them to be of service to their fellowmen,” he added.
