DAR continues grassroots formation, engagement

By Easter Anne Doza

BACOLOD City – The Department of Agrarian Reform-North continues to strengthen its grassroots formation and engagement with agrarian reform beneficiaries by assisting them in the reorganization of their Barangay Agrarian Reform Committee (BARC).

One of BARC’s main goals is to apprise the Provincial Composite Team and field point persons of Memorandum Circular 5 series of 2010 which aims to include the roles and functions of the BARC in the implementation of Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in general.

This will enable the community to actively participate in CARP implementation on the major program components- Land Tenure Improvement (LTI), Program Beneficiaries Development, and the Agrarian Justice Delivery (AJD) and shall operate on self-help and voluntary services.

DAR-San Carlos City held a re-election and orientation of BARC members which involved 41 ARBs and 44 ARBs in Barangays Bagonhon and Buluangan, respectively.

Newly elected BARC officials were Chairperson Tito Almaras, Vice-Chair Emetirio Juanillo, and Assistant Secretary Pacita Navarro for Brgy. Bagonbon. While for Brgy. Buluangan were Chairperson Rodolfo Allones, Vice-Chair Alfredo Magahin, and Asst. Sec. Enriquita Yungco.

Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Mary Julie Lou Gonzales said the formation is aligned with the mandate of the program dedicated to implement the mission and vision of DAR towards the welfare of farmer-beneficiaries.

The re-organized BARCs are also seen to consider gender equality and empowerment of rural women and other marginalized sectors of the community as well as the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

BARC has a critical role in ensuring an efficient mechanism for grassroots participation in the various programs of DAR. (PIA)