A total of 12 agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) from different provinces in the Bicol Region are now providing vegetable and other food to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) through the help of the Department of Agrarian Reform-Bicol (DAR-5).

In an interview on Monday, Niriza Barquilla, DAR-Bicol information assistant officer, said three ARBOs from Masbate were added to the previous eight groups from Catanduanes and Camarines Sur.

She said a marketing agreement was signed between the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and ARBOs under the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty Program (PAHPP).

PAHPP is a government initiative addressing food security, hunger, and poverty problems through the cooperation and convergence of essential services of various government agencies.

“At least three ARBOs from Masbate will benefit from the marketing endeavor after a partnership was signed early this month. Eight farmer organizations from Catanduanes have renewed a marketing agreement for the third year with BJMP-Virac and BJMP-San Andres, and an ARBO from Camarines Sur also renewed their contract for the fourth time with BJMP-Tigaon, BJMP-Iriga City and BJMP-Naga City,” Barquilla said.

She said the BJMP-Mobo in Masbate will regularly purchase the ARBOs’ products based on the prevailing market price.

BJMP-Mobo requires food items for the PDLs including shells, crabs, shrimps, mussels, rice, vegetables, poultry products, root crops, and other farm products and services.

The new ARBOs under the agreement are the Cayabon Agrarian Reform Cooperative and Baclay Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (BARBC) of Milagros town, and Lauma Exin Pi People’s Organization of Mobo, all in Masbate.

In a statement, DAR-Catanduanes Legal Chief lawyer Cherry A. Agmata said the deal seeks a steady source of income for DAR’s agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“We are happy that this partnership with BJMP will continue. We are grateful for BJMP Virac and BJMP San Andres’ continuous support of our programs and we are looking forward to better and stronger alliance in the future,” Agmata said. (PNA)