DIPOLOG CITY - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Center for Agriculture
and Rural Development (CARD), Inc. has launched the microfinance operations in Langatian
Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (LACARBEMCO), Langatian, Roxas,
Zamboanga del Norte recently.
The DAR is now adopting
microfinance as strategy in support services delivery to help agrarian reform
beneficiaries (ARBs) meet their financial needs through cooperatives and other
microfinance institutions in agrarian reform areas.
The CARD, on the other
hand, which is one of the largest micro-credit service providers in the local
microfinance industry and one among the best in the world, is a
microfinance-focused non-government organization (NGO).
DAR-Zamboanga del Norte
and CARD, Inc. shall jointly implement the Microfinance Capacity Development
Project for partner organizations for a period of three years to ensure the
sustained access of ARBs to microfinance services.
The DAR provincial office
together with CARD, Inc. will then oversee the overall project directions and
ensure a favorable financial environment for the sustained provision of
microfinance services to agrarian reform areas.
Because of the significant
performance of the project and the need to adopt a more sustainable approach
through the complementation of financial and non-financial services in its
implementation, the project has been scaled up to reach and engage a bigger number
of ARBs/ARB households.
It can be noted that 30
cooperatives nationwide would be developed as microfinance conduits and one of
these was selected as project partner in Zamboanga del Norte. LACARBEMCO was
successfully chosen as project partner in the province.
The microfinance project
intends to reach out to more ARBs that are in need of the micro-agri financial
and non-financial services. Microfinance is also an effective tool for poverty
alleviation.
The cooperative was
brought to KIMAYA Peoples Multipurpose Cooperative in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental
for a learning expedition to meet with its selected officers and management
staff and familiarize with the coop’s
operations and implementation of microfinance in the community.
In his message, OIC PARO I
Raul J. Sy said: “Kami sa DAR kanunay
anaa sa inyong kiliran aron sa pagsuporta sa atong mga agrarian reform
beneficiaries. Atong ipadayon ang atong paningkamot aron sa paglambo sa atong
mga mag-uuma. Labaw sa tanan, atong panggaon ug amomahon ang mga proyekto nga
gihatag sa gobyerno (We in DAR are always on your side to support the
agrarian reform beneficiaries. Let us continue to improve our farmers. More
importantly, we will care and nurture the projects given by the government).”
LACARBEMCO board chair also aired his thoughts and said: “Maningkamot kita aron sa atong kalamboan ug mohatag kita sa atong dugang capital aron mas modaku pa ang atong kooperatiba (We will strive for our progress and we will give additional capital to expand our cooperative)” (FPG/GCC/DAR9/PIA9)