THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental - North is distributing 22,914 identification cards (IDs) to its registered agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province.
This is to speed up the delivery of food supplies and other essential products amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) threat affecting millions of Filipinos.
With their personal protective equipment (PPE) on, the DAR-Negros Occidental I said its personnel have shown determination and eagerness to deliver the department’s vision of supporting its beneficiaries during this pandemic.
Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, in a memorandum, mandated all DAR Provincial and Municipal offices that these IDs shall cover and be distributed to all ARBs who have been issued registered emancipation patents (EPs), individual or collective certificate of land ownership awards (Cloas), other titles issued under any agrarian reform program, and holders of registered leasehold contracts (RLCs).
ARBs, who belong to the marginalized sectors of the society, are also badly affected by the strict implementation of quarantine measures due to the danger brought by the prevailing pandemic.
The ID card is also issued to facilitate the access of the ARBs to the Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP), a social amelioration program to provide cash or non-cash subsidy to 18 million household beneficiaries.
This facilitates the emergency support services program to be provided by the DAR through the Support Services Office to be implemented in the provincial and municipal levels benefiting
ARBs, agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations, agrarian reform cooperatives in the conduct of agricultural activities to ensure food security, economic empowerment, and the promotion of their rights.
Also, the provision of these IDs aims to have access to the programs which provide benefits and services being offered by the local government units (LGUs), national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, bureaus, and other government institutions like government hospitals and other public medical facilities.
It will also give them access to programs from either the public or private sectors which provide other support services on farmer-beneficiaries on health, credit accessibility, education, housing, and other related necessities.
DAR-Negros Occidental I said this endeavor of the agency will also determine the whereabouts and status of all ARBs nationwide.
“Also, to further capacitate them, thus, this need to immediately generate and issue IDs in favor of all ARBs is acted,” it said, adding that “it is also a tool to facilitate the delivery of the benefits under the social amelioration programs.”