Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in the province of Antique are encouraged to join ARBO Merkado, an online marketing platform via Facebook, where they can post their products up for sale.

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Antique Marketing Assistance Officer Cherish Sane Tonding, in an interview Wednesday, said seven ARBOs in the province producing food and non-food products have already joined the platform.

“In the ARBO Merkado, we have products such as squash canton with malunggay, malunggay powder, ginger brew, turmeric brew, taro chips, camote chips and nito products already posted,” she said.

She said that the squash canton with malunggay and malunggay powder are produced by the Esparar Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) in Barbaza; the ginger brew, turmeric brew, taro chips, and camote chips are produced by the Nagbangi I Agrarian Reform Cooperative (NARC) in San Remigio; and nito products (native products made from “Nito Vine”) such as coasters, placemats, and pots are from the Sta. Ana San Joaquin Agrarian Reform (SASJ AR) Cooperative in Pandan.

“We encourage the ARBOs to have their products marketed through the ARBO Merkado considering that there is still the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and their face-to-face transactions are limited,” Tonding added.

She said that DAR Antique is willing to help them if they need to have a photoshoot and prepare other promotional materials.

DAR regional director Sheila B. Enciso in her message during the turnover of various support facilities in the town of Valderrama on Sept. 21 said they introduced the ARBO Merkado to assist agrarian reform beneficiaries in the promotion of their products.

It was launched during the regional celebration of the 50th Founding Anniversary of the Department of Agrarian Reform and the 33rd anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in Iloilo City on Aug. 27. (PNA)