THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-North has conducted an orientation and conference on the government's Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).
All municipal agrarian reform program officers of DAR-Negros Occidental I attended the activity held at the Nature's Village Resort in Talisay City recently.
Ester Ruth Torreverde, officer-in-charge agricultural program coordinating officer of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said the RSBSA is the official record of the government to determine the identity of Filipino farmers.
Torreverde said all Filipino farmers and fishermen aged 18 years old and above can register.
Spouses and children who assist in farming or fishing can also be registered if this is their main livelihood, she added.
Officer-In-Charge Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer of the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD) of DAR-Negros Occidental I Rizalina Yugiung, who also graced the activity, said the support services team of the agency is tasked to initiate and facilitate support services provisions to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
"In collaboration with the DA and other government line agencies, the DAR supports the massive drive for the ARBs to access various packages of products and services," she added.
The activity was conducted to orient the participants of the processes and implementation of ARB's enrollment to the RSBSA.
It also aims to update the list of the ARBs registered and enrolled to the registry, as well as discuss the issues and concerns at the DAR Municipal level during the start of implementation of ARB enrollment to the RSBSA.
In 2020, there are a total of 5,076 ARBs in northern portion of Negros Occidental registered and enrolled in the registry through the assistance of the DAR Municipal Offices.
For 2021, DAR-Negros Occidental I targets to enroll and register the last year's remaining balance.
The RSBSA is actually the electronic compilation or database of basic information of farmers, farm laborers, fishermen and target beneficiaries of agriculture-related programs and services of the government.
DAR-Negros Occidental I said it is the minimum requirement in receiving or availing agri-fishery related government services particularly those of the DA, its bureaus, attached agencies and corporations.
The agency said that the DAR, through the PBDD, constitutes development and support services interventions like training programs as well as construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure facilities.
Access for ARB households to basic social services is also included in this sector to ensure holistic support for the farmer-beneficiaries, it added.
Meanwhile, with Negros Occidental still under the modified general community quarantine, the agency assured that the activity complied with minimum health protocols set by authorities.