House cites Italy for P1.65-B Mindanao aid

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. led the House of Representatives in giving recognition to the government of Italy for its P1.65-billion financial assistance for various projects to help more than 18,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Mindanao.

Belmonte gave the House citation during a recent visit of Ambassador Massimo Roscigno to Congress.

Belmonte presented Roscigno a copy of House Resolution 242 conveying the gratitude of the chamber to the Italian government for its financial assistance to agrarian reform communities in Mindanao through the Italian Assistance to the Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP).

Belmonte said House members are very enthusiastic and grateful for the assistance of the Italian government.

“We approved the resolution to recognize the Government of Italy and Ambassador Roscigno for this project. I’m very honored to give you a copy of this resolution,” he told the envoy.

Belmonte said it was laudable for the Italian government to have chosen beneficiaries of the financial assistance from Mindanao.

“In fact when we look at the areas covered by the project, some of the poorest provinces are there. Really, I’m glad that you chose them to be among the recipients of your assistance,” Belmonte told Roscigno.

Que z on Ci t y Rep. Winston Castelo, principal author of the resolution, said lawmakers were pleased because the Mindanao project is a reflection of the generosity of the Filipino people with the help of the Italian government through Roscigno.

“This begins a strong solidarity and mutual support between the Italian and Philippine governments, Many of my constituents come from Mindanao and they have relatives there who will benefit from the project,” Castelo said.

Roscigno said the financial assistance from the Italian government will be used in various projects under the IARCDSP, including entrepreneurship, agricultural production and enhancement, access to markets, small infrastructural works and capacity- building of the agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“That’s the best way to create something sustainable. We are very proud of this project. This will also contribute to the facilitation of the peace process. Unless you offer livelihood to the farmers, there cannot be peace without it (livelihood). We hope we can contribute to that purpose,” Roscigno said.

The resolution stated that in March 2011, as part of the European Union’s support for the peace and development process in Mindanao, the Italian government, and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) entered into a Memorandum of Agreement to undertake the IARCDSP.

The IARCDSP is a six- year project implemented from 2013 to 2019, seeking to alleviate poverty, accelerate the peace process in Mindanao, and promote inclusive growth.