The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed on Monday farm machinery and equipment worth PHP42 million to some 109 agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in the Ilocos Region.

The ARBOs are composed of a total of 13,609 farmers or agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.

The farm machinery and equipment they received included 10 4WD tractors with 40 horsepower worth PHP14 million; 90 brush cutters with harvesters worth PHP720,000; 26 hand tractors with trailers worth PHP4.4 million; 10 hauling trucks worth PHP14.9 million; 144 knapsack sprayer worth PHP288,000; 22 multifunction tiller or cultivator worth PHP3.3 million; one refrigerated van worth PHP1.5 million; eight rice reaper worth PHP1.3 million; and 100 water pumps worth PHP2 million.

Forty-one percent of the total project was awarded to Pangasinan, while the rest were equally divided among Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union.

The distribution of the farm machinery and equipment is part of the Sustainable and Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRE ARCs) project, a multi-faceted program that aims to increase agricultural productivity and income of the ARBs in the country through the provision of various mechanization projects and support services.

Under the project, DAR provides ARBOs with farm machinery and equipment, agricultural inputs, farm-to-market roads, and greenhouse facilities, among others.

In his speech, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the distribution was scheduled on Independence Day to honor the new generation of heroes —the farmers who are responsible for producing food for the nation.

“I will take this opportunity to give honor to the farmers who are feeding the Filipino nation. Agrarian reform is not just about land acquisition but also of support services to the beneficiaries,” he said.

Estrella also urged the ARBOs to continue farming despite the challenges in the agriculture sector.

“Don’t give up as more blessings are coming and do not sell your lands because the law does not allow its sale within ten years,” he added.

Estrella announced that the New Agrarian Emancipation Act will be signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 7 this year.

“Ngayon kung naipasa na doon ang ibig sabihin nito kapag umepekto na ang batas na ito, ang lupa na naibigay sa inyo libre na po at wala na kayong babayaran na utang pa (Since this was already passed in the Congress and Senate, the land will be given to you for free and you will no longer pay for amortization),” he said.

He said the President and DAR wanted to give the farmers true freedom from poverty and loans.

“For you to have a progressive future so that you will be able to all the more feed the Filipino nation,” Estrella added.

Farm-to-market roads

Meanwhile, aside from the farm machinery and equipment, DAR also funded farm-to-market roads through the SuRe ARCs project.

Estrella said DAR has already disbursed PPHP774.5 million as of June 2023 in the 106 farm-to-market roads (FMR) projects in the Ilocos Region.

Of the total FMR projects, 32 have been completed and 74 are ongoing. The roads are 72.63 kilometers long in total and benefit 18,326 ARBs.

Most of the FMRs are in Pangasinan with 77, while 15 in La Union, eight in Ilocos Sur, and six in Ilocos Norte. (PNA)