Mj Balaguer of DZMJ Online Season 37 is with Mayor Florence Oliver B. Pascual of Lal-lo Cagayan on DAR CLOA Distribution of his 30 Agriclture-Graduate Constituents

44 agri grads vow to support the government in ensuring food security

FORTY-FOUR (44) fresh graduates of agriculture from the provinces of Cagayan and Palawan pledged their support to the government in ensuring the country’s food security after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) awarded each of them with one (1) hectare of land to till.

The lands they received are idle government-owned lands (GOLs) distributed through Executive Order (EO) No. 75, Series of 2019, wherein DAR facilitated the process of subjecting these landholdings under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

DAR Secretary Brother John Castriciones said this is the first time that the department distributed free lands to agriculture graduates to enable them to practice their profession in their farms and encourage the youth to embrace farming to reinforce the ageing sector, in which the average age of some 11 million Filipino farmers is 57.

“Now that you are owners of these lands, I believe that you will cultivate it and improve your lives through it. You should also serve as an inspiration to other youth to engage in agriculture and help our country in providing food supplies,” Brother John said.

The land distribution is made possible through DAR administrative order no.03, series of 2020, where qualified graduates of any four-year degree in agriculture and related fields can become agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Support Services Office Undersecretary Emily Padilla said the DAR is not just pursuing to give all the remaining balance of around 500,000 hectares of agricultural lands to the landless farmers but also to their sons and daughters.

“With these younger farmers being trained in state colleges and universities, we could have a more scientific approach in improving the agriculture industry,” Padilla said.

Meanwhile, Jerome Usabal, one of the agricultural graduates from Lallo Cagayan, said that he is grateful for the land title that he received and that he promises to be of help in improving the country’s agricultural sector.

Sunshine Araza, from Busuanga, Palawan, said she believed that the land she received from DAR would help improve their lives and could encourage her younger peers to enroll in agriculture-related courses and engage in farming, after they graduate.

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DAR continues to be a responsive agency

For the third time in a row, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has been recognized and commended by the Office of the President (OP) for its quick action on citizen’s complaints on public service through the government’s 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center.

“The DAR is thankful to the OP for commending us for the third time. We want to bring the government closer to our stakeholders. The OP can count on us to continue to address the concerns and issues raised by our clientele,” DAR Secretary Bro. John Castriciones said.

The commendation was sent through a letter addressed to Brother John by 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center Director Bernadette Casinabe.

In a letter issued on January 31, 2021, the DAR was recognized for its efforts in ensuring that all tickets are acted upon within the prescribed period. 

Brother John said that from January to December 31, 2020, the agency has responded to 311 tickets from the 8888 Citizen’s Complaint Center.

“Of the 311 tickets, all of it were acted upon or equivalent to 100 percent accomplishment of this task within the set time,” Brother John said.

As a national government’s 24/7 public service hotline, 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center aims to address queries or grievances from the public directed to government agencies, bureaus, and offices.

Public Assistance and Media Relation Service (PAMRS) Director Cleon Lester Chavez disclosed that the Clientele Relations Division (CRD), which handles the DAR’s citizen’s complaints, the DAR was first recognized by the OP as a responsive agency in October of last year for accomplishing 100 percent response to the queries received from the 8888 Citizen’s Complaint Center from January to September 2020.

“The DAR was again recognized a second time on November 16 of last year when the CRD again accomplished 100 percent responding to all tickets received within the prescribed time,” Chavez said.

DAR Assistant Secretary Patricia Rualo-Bello, focal person for the 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center said most of the concerns received by DAR were those about land/environment, government claims, and integrity-related concerns.

“We guarantee to extend the government’s support for the program and ensure that all requests for assistance and information, as well as complaints and grievances, will immediately be attended to,” Rualo-Bello said.

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