DAR-Cavite ARBO distributes, sells cheap agri products amid COVID-19 crisis
NAIC, Cavite, April 15, (PIA) – A Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-assisted farmer’s cooperative here has initiated a move to provide assistance to their community and nearby areas by distributing and selling agricultural products at a much lower price to help the people affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) with continuous supply of their basic necessities.
DAR-Cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) James Arthur T. Dubongco said Palangue Agrarian Reform Cooperative (PARC) is the only member of agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) among the Cavite ARBOs who initiated action and showed commitment to sell and provide basic food necessities at a much lower price.
“The Palangue ARC, aside from its vegetable crops also supplies rice to Cavite cooperatives and other nearby Luzon areas with a very minimal interest to support those areas, who at the moment cannot avail of their basic necessities, due to ECQ,” Dubongco said.
PARC manager Joselito Tibayan said their store is open and ready to supply the people’s basic needs in Luzon and other parts of the country who are affected by the lockdown due to ECQ to avert the spread of the novel coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19).
So far, PARC has sold 500 kilograms of corn, 1,000 kgs of wheat, 1,000 kgs of tomatoes, 1,500 kgs. tobacco, 420 kgs rice, 9,580 kgs. potable water-1,134 container (20 L per container) and 1,500 pcs patola per week in various areas.
Tibayan said the cooperative also has a water refilling station funded under the Village Level Farm Enterprise Development (VLFED) project of the DAR.
“The cooperative understands the people’s plight that most of them are unable to make money because of the quarantine period and covid19-scare which has affected their livelihood situation. In response to their needs, we decided to reduce our profits during this crisis,” Tibayan said.
Dubongco added that as their direct assistance to their community, PARC also distributed a total of 25 sacks of rice and Php 25,000.00 Community Development Fund to serve as their donation to Barangays 1 and 2 of Naic, Cavite.
PARC has also provided financial assistance to nine (9) senior citizens in their area by giving Php 2,000.00 each intended for their necessities such as food, medicine and others. The cooperative also distributed 3 kgs of rice to its 167 regular members.
Dubongco said the DAR-Cavite was able to continually monitor the status of (ARBOs) under the work from home scheme and through selected employees who serve as the skeletal workforce of the provincial office. (CPG PIA-4A/DAR Cavite)
source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1038966