By May Christine V. Bomes
PAGADIAN CITY, February 9 (PIA) - -“We have to perform our best for the clienteles and hope for the best," Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II (PARO II) Engr. Raymundo B. Bernardo stressed regarding the 2012 Operational Directives presented during the Regional Conference held in Zamboanga City on February 2, this year.
The orientation, a re-echo of the 2012 National Conference, intends to effectively implement CY 2012 Operational Directives on Land Tenure Improvement (LTI), Program Beneficiaries Development (PBD), Agrarian Justice Delivery (AJD) and other Administrative Concerns and updates on the DAR Transition Plan.
PARO II Bernardo said that the directive from DAR Secretary Virgilio Delos Reyes on the upgrade of DAR services is clear and adamant. “We have to fast track the Land Tenure Improvement’s (LTI) distribution of the remaining 1,604 hectares balance for ZDS on the 1st Quarter of this year,” the secretary said.
Strategies were also disclosed to counter the bottlenecks on the LTI implementation such as the systematic improvements to the survey returns, quality of claim folders transmitted to Land Bank of the Philippines, technicalities of lands Distributed but Not Yet Paid (DNYPs) and the subdivision of the collective CLOA. “We are determined as we double our efforts on LTI implementation in the province,” he stressed.
The PBD which complements LTI is now focused to increase the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) to be reached in ARCs and non-ARCs. DAR ZDS intends to deliver quality & effective support services through PBD Models 1-8.
Under Model 7, DAR has Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) which enhances the convergence of the rural development agencies such as Department of Agriculture (DA), DAR and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR0 in partnership with LGUs. ARCCESS will be implemented in agrarian reform areas (ARAs) previously and currently covered by Foreign-Assisted Projects (FAPs). ARCCESS in ZDS will be covering 520 hectares and crop-focused assistance to 839 ARBs by providing strategic investments in common service facilities and professional and business development services.
PBD in ZDS which has FAPs in place will complement and strengthen its convergence with GO, NGOs, CSOs, LGUs, private sector and other stakeholders to mobilize resources for other support services such as access of ARBs to agri technology, farm inputs, processing facilities, credit, and access to markets.
The AJD, which caters to the ARB’s LTI – related legal problems and legal assistance, will be intensifying its focus and strategic imperatives to legal framework, intervention projects and caseload management. Legal Officers will be equipped on the PBD Lawyering course to further complement and strengthen the PBD assistance on access to credit programs . Online DAR – LIT has been on the web since November 2011 to give ready access to jurisprudence and legal references. “One DAR” which is a worksharing and outsourcing program will be adopted to balance implementation in High LAD and Low LAD provinces.
“We will balance our deliverables for the year with the enhanced management of our manpower and physical resources and proper information to partners and AR Stakeholders. DAR Website will be providing personnel and clienteles with accessible Finance, Management and Administrative Office Information, video materials regarding rights and obligations for ARBs, LAD process for land owners and new issuances for legal and operations.
“This year will be tough for the province but the impact that the department will leave to the lives of our clienteles is the best contribution we can give as public servants, ” PARO Bernardo concluded. (DAR-ZDS/MVBomes/PIA9/ALT)