DAR official hails ARBOS’ response in Covid-19 fight

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Cavite province has lauded agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOS) for helping the government in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In a news statement, Dar-cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer James Arthur T. Dubongco said through their own little ways, ARBOS are responding to calls by DAR to help those in need, particularly those with limited, or no access, to food because of the prevailing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the entire Luzon area.

He was referring to the Palangue Agrarianreformcooperative(parc), which showed its commitment to sell and provide basic food necessities at a much lower price.

Aside from its vegetable crops, PARC also supplies rice to Cavite cooperatives and other nearby Luzon areas,andchargesaverysmallinterest for loans to support areas that, at the moment, have no access or means to 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 that are affected by the “partial lockdown” due to ECQ, to avert the spread of Covid-19.

Sofar,parchassold500kilograms of corn; 1,000 kgs of wheat; 1,000 kgs of tomatoes; 1,500 kgs of tobacco; 9,580 kgs of rice; 1,134 containers (20 liters per container) of potable water; and 1,500 pieces of patola per week in various areas.

Tibayansaidthatthecooperative also has a water refilling station funded under the Village Level Farm Enterprise Development (VLFED) project of DAR.

“The cooperative understands the people’s plight that most of them are unable to make money because of the quarantine period and Covid-19 scare, which has affected their livelihood situation. In response to their needs, wedecidedtoreduceourprofitsduring this crisis,” Tibayan said.