FSUU set to hold ‘Indigenous Peoples Forum’ in
Butuan City
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 21 (PIA) – As part of the second
Mindanao Peace Studies Conference organized by the Father Saturnino Urios
University (FSUU) with the theme, “Peace and Development: Expanding Spaces for
Conflict Transformation” of this month, an Indigenous Peoples (IP) Forum will
be conducted on Nov. 22, 2016, 1:00 p.m. at the CBE Function Hall , FSUU, this
city.
The event seeks to bring together voices from both
inside and outside the academia in a conversation about peace and development.
It will be joined by personalities with experiences
in relation to environment, peace and development. “Datu Makalipay Ireneo Rico,
Sr., Ann Marie Lidandug-Uytico, Sheryl Canhatan, Dakula Randy Catarman are
given time to share their insights, involvement and contributions in pursuit of
attaining peace and development,” said Rev. Fr. Randy Jasper Odchigue, vice
president for Academic Affairs and Research at FSUU.
There will be plenary talks and paper presentations
by established scholars. Speakers include Felipe Montoya, Executive Director of
Corporacion VallenPaz, Colombia and Atty. Michelle Angelica Co, Assistant
Secretary for Planning of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“Members of different indigenous groups, government
agencies, civil society organizations and the academe are also invited and join
in a healthy and peaceful discussion,” added Odchigue. (VLG/PIA-Cagara)
68 ARBs graduate from farm business school in AgSur
By Rechel D. Besonia
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur, Nov. 21 (PIA) - A
total of 68 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) of Rizal Multi Purpose
Cooperative (RMPC) had recently graduated from Farm Business School (FBS) held
at Mabe’s Savory Place, San Francisco, this province.
San Francisco Municipal Mayor Jenny De Asis; Rizal
Barangay Captain Rufino Acog; DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I
Allan N. Mundala; Municipal Agriculturist Vina Ranoco, and the members of Rizal
MPC attended the activity.
Three municipalities in the province have already
availed of the FBS including the recent graduation of Rizal MPC, it was
learned.
“Pasalamat kami ug dako sa FBS sa paghatag sa among
coop ug oportunidad aron madugangan ang among kahibalo ilabi na sa pag record
ug pag compute. Enjoy jud kaayo me sa among klase ilabi na sa among
benchmarking sa Alameda Farms. Among gi claim nga puhon pinaagi sa among
kahibalo madatu na me ug makapalit na ug sakyanan (We are so thankful to DAR
for giving our cooperative the opportunity to avail of the FBS program. Because
of this, we are able to gain more knowledge especially in recording and
computation. We enjoyed the sessions so much especially during the Benchmarking
in Alameda Farms. We claimed that someday we will become successful entrepreneurs
and we will be able to buy our own car),” expressed Arlene Binas, an ARB and
one of the FBS beneficiaries.
“The Department of Agrarian Reform is continuously
providing interventions to our Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and Farm Business
School is just one among the others. We are hoping for the best for all the
recipient of the program and help establish linkages to other financial
institutions to avail the support services,” Mundala highlighted.
FBS is a collaborative approach initiated by the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to help the farmers develop and strengthen
their skills not just in farming but also in business enterprising and
marketing strategies to ensure profitability. (DAR-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan
del Sur)
Agrarian farmers train on credit facilitation and
delinquency management
By Gil E. Miranda
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 21 (PIA) - Officers and Admin
staffs of the Baleguian Organic Farmers Irrigators Associations, (BOFIA)
underwent a two-day Credit Facilitation and Delinquency Management Seminar held
at Brgy. Baleguian Jabonga, Agusan del Norte on Nov. 10-11, 2016.
The seminar enhanced the officers and operational
staffs’ technical skills in managing credit operation. BOFIA is providing
agricultural credit assistance under the Agrarian Production Credit Program
(APCP) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to members.
The activity was also aimed to meet the needs of
the organization to address the credit risk and create a contingency plan when
the borrower failed to meet its obligation.
BOFIA chairman Winifredo S. Maldo said that the
organization is facing some challenges in handling their credit operation, as
the number of members who set to avail financial assistance for agricultural
production is still growing.
"The training enhanced the ability of some
officers and credit staffs in performing the credit operations and create
flexible solutions to help members stand up against adversities,” Maldo said.
"Thanks to DAR's intervention in providing us
with technical knowledge that we need to sustain our operation," Maldo
added.
Propegemus Executive Director Arnold Tapere said
that the training will capacitate the officers and members, who aspire to be
knowledgeable in handling credit issues and concerns.
"The training gave a clear knowledge in credit
management against the risk of not paying when the members encountered losses
from agricultural uncertainties," Tapere said.
BOFIA is a recipient of a multi-million projects of
DAR 's various interventions from APCP to Agrarian Reform Community
Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS) and Irrigation Facility under
Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Program phase III (ARISP III).
The seminar was conducted by the DAR in Agusan del
Norte in partnership with the Propegemus Foundation, Inc., an accredited
training provider of Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). (DAR-Agusan del
Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
