DAR-ARMM turns over 46 HDAP projects

COTABATO CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAR-ARMM) has turned over 46 various infrastructure projects worth P13,656,250 to agrarian reform beneficiaries and communities in Maguindanao province in January, officials said.

The projects were funded under the Kalilintad sa Kangilupa component of the Humanitarian and Development Assistance Program (HDAP) of the ARMM government, which is implemented by DAR-ARMM.

Dayang Carlsum Sangkula-jumaide, DARARMM Secretary, said the projects aim at assisting the agrarian reform beneficiaries and their organizations to develop agriculture-based enterprises towards improving farm productivity and increasing household income.

The projects include 24 socialized housing units, two community warehouses, and two solar dryers, which were turned over to agrarian reform beneficiaries and communities in the towns of Rajah Buayan and Sultan Sa Barongis in Maguindanao on Tuesday, January 30.

The turnover was led by Sec. Jumaide and Assistant Secretary Sampaco Mamainte and was witnessed by Sultan Sa Barongis Vice-mayor Datu Al-fizzar Allandatu Angas.

Camsa Mindal, 50, is among the recipients of the socialized housing. Mindal said the housing unit is a big help for his family because his house, made mostly of light materials, is nearly damaged since it was built in 1980s.

Mindal is also the president of the Kulambog Al Amanah People’s Organization, Inc., an agrarian reform beneficiary organization based in Sultan Sa Barongis. The organization also received one community warehouse and one solar drier.

Mindal said the projects will surely boost their members’ income. Member-farmers of Al Amanah People’s Organization, Inc. have previously resorted to storing their harvest in their houses, which may cause losses to quality and quantity of their products. Mindal added these projects will surely protect their harvest from loses.

“Ya sigurado sa niya ba na katiyakapan name su inenggay nu sa lekami ka masela e makadtabang na niyaba sa lekami (We assure you that we will take good care of these facilities you awarded to us because it helps us a lot.),” Mindal said.

Sixteen socialized housing units, one community warehouse and one solar dryer were also turned over to beneficiaries in Mamasapano during the ARMM People’s Day that marked the third year commemoration of the Mamasapano incident on January 25.

Immediately following the Mamasapano encounter in 2015, the HDAP was drafted by the ARMM regional government. The program is an anti-poverty initiative covering barangays in 15 municipalities affected by intensified law enforcement operations launched immediately following the events in Mamasapano.

The Kalilintad sa Kangilupa component of HDAP has a total funding allocation of P100,462,000.

The amount will be used for social infrastructures in agrarian reform communities, provision of farm inputs, various trainings and capability building, and provision of common service facilities that include mobile rice mills, rice threshers and huskers, corn shellers, among others.