March 29, 2024

The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera inked a memorandum of agreement for the Binhi ng Pagpapala program that aims to ensure food availability in the countryside.

PRO-Cor Director, Lt/Gen. R’Win Pagkalinawan, and DA-Cordillera OIC Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey signed the MOA recently with Agriculture Sec. and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security for Cordillera William Dar as witness.

The Binhi ng Pagpapala is in support to the Plant, Plant, Plant program or the “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra Covid-19” that aims to ensure food security during this pandemic.

The program is also a component of the government’s mandate to bring socio-economic development in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, in line with the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC).

Under the program, PRO-Cor, through the Community Affairs Section of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15 (RMFB15), will distribute vegetable seedlings and help in backyard farming.

Priority beneficiaries are Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program household beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and families in identified ELCAC barangays.

The program was piloted in Tadian, Mountain Province by the 1502nd Maneuver Company of the RMFB15 with 4Ps household beneficiaries. Based on the assessment of DSWD-Cordillera through the municipal offices, the program has yielded positive results.

RMFB Commander, Col. Mario Mayames, Jr., said the program will be implemented in all provinces in the Cordillera through the maneuver companies.

Aside from providing seeds, RMFB personnel will also help the beneficiaries in their backyard farming.

“With the RFMB deployed in far-flung areas in the region, our personnel can identify the vulnerable families or individuals; not only the poor households but also those vulnerable for recruitment by the New People’s Army,” Mayames added.

Dar lauded PRO-Cor for supporting the Plant, Plant, Plant Program and for their effort in prioritizing socio-economic development strategies in the campaign against terrorism and insurgency. – Carlito C. Dar