RENEWAL OF COMMITMENT. Department of Agrarian Reform Regional Director James Arsenio Ponce delivers his message during the renewal of the regional memorandum of understanding and marketing agreement with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology at Best Western Hotel in Angeles City, Pampanga on Tuesday (June 27, 2023). The move is under the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty program which helps agrarian reform beneficiaries to fight hunger and poverty. (Photo courtesy of DAR Region 3)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) have renewed their commitment to help sustain the agricultural productivity of agrarian communities in Central Luzon.
Officials of the two agencies, led by DAR Regional Director James Arsenio Ponce and BJMP Regional Office III Director Jail Chief Supt. Rebecca Pawid, signed on Tuesday the renewal of the regional memorandum of understanding and marketing agreement under the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program.
Milagros Isabel Cristobal, DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Office, also graced the event held at a hotel in Angeles City.
DAR and BJMP are part of the PAHP program where government institutions work together to support feeding programs and the provision of community meals for workers and laborers.
The program has institutionalized a continuous flow of agricultural products from DAR-assisted agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) within the region, where government agencies like BJMP are institutional buyers and markets.
As agreed upon, the ARBOs will supply agricultural products to the BJMP such as rice, vegetables and other crops.
Ponce cited the need to sustain the partnership to fight hunger and poverty by helping the ARBOs ensure a stable market for their products.
He said the renewal of the marketing agreement between DAR and BJMP under the PAHP project is their social obligation to ensure food security and sufficiency.
Aside from providing lands to the farmers, he said DAR is also mandated by law to provide support services to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform beneficiaries.
Ponce expressed hope to open more doors for partnerships in the future.
Last May 30, DAR-Nueva Ecija Provincial Office and BJMP signed a similar agreement wherein three ARBOs will supply rice and fresh chicken eggs to six jails in the province. (PNA)
