MAMASAPANO, Maguindanao — Poor residents here, stunned by the so-called Mamasapano tragedy three years ago, are now beneficiaires off direct government aid coursed through the Department of Agrarian Reform in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DAR-ARMM).
Through the DAR-ARMM, 16 socialized housing, a warehouse and a solar drier were awarded to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) of Mamasapano during the conduct of the 23rd ARMM People’s Day, the agency said Wednesday.
Construction of social infrastructure forms part of the “Kalilintad sa Kanggilupa” project of DAR-ARMM under the Humanitarian Development Assistance Program (ARMM-HDAP).
The socialized housing is under the social infrastructure component while the warehouse and solar dryer are under the agricultural enterprise development component of the said program.
Completion of these projects is seen to revitalize the community and uproot the agrarian reform beneficiaries of Mamasapano from the mishap caused by armed conflict and other man-made calamities.
These projects, which were awarded to the most deserving and impoverished ARBs, would not only provide for the household welfare of the ARBs but enhance their agricultural productivity as well.
The ceremonial turn-over was led by the ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Masuhud Alamia, DAR-ARMM Secretary Dayang Carlsum Sangkula-Jumaide, and Mamasapano Mayor Tahirodin Benzar A. Ampatuan.
One of the beneficiaries could hardly find words to describe his feeling after receiving one of the housing unit.
“Thank you very much, now my family has a house we can proudly call a home,” said a teary-eyed Udasan H. Abdulkadir, recipient of the socialized housing, in Maguindanaon dialect.
Sangkula-Jumaide reminded the recipients of the social infrastructure and agricultural enterprise development projects of their responsibility as new owners as the proper maintenance of the same will determine if they deserve more projects in the future.
The ARBs, on the other hand, as represented by the ARBO President Ahmad Zakarya, expressed their gratitude to the DAR-ARMM for the support services and rehabilitation of infrastructure projects that they have been receiving from the Department.
They commended DAR-ARMM for the good quality of farm inputs it distributed to the ARBs and the common service facilities which resulted to better agricultural yields.
“In the previous years, we used to harvest an average of 30-40 cavans per hectare; now we are harvesting 80-100 cavans per hectare because of the tractor and quality seeds that DAR-ARMM has provided for us,” another Mamasapano resident said.
The DAR-ARMM Focal Person for ARMM-HDAP Director Rebecca Bautista was elated with the success stories forwarded by the ARB members.
“Hearing some of the stories of ARBs narrating how their palay harvest grew from 40 cavans per hectare to a double figure because of the common service facilities, quality of seeds are enough reasons for DAR-ARMM to pursue even more community partnerships through our ARBOs,” Bautista said. (PNA)
