26/05/2023
DAR, PCA eye central hub for coconut processing in North Cotabato
The Department of Agrarian Reform and the Philippine Coconut Authority recently conducted a validation activity in line with the effort to boost the coconut industry in North Cotabato.
PARPO II Evangeline Bueno said that DAR is looking for potential Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) that will be developed as a central hub for coconut processing under the proposed coconut value chain boosting project.
"Potential ARBOs will be assessed for further interventions to strengthen their operations and to establish tie-ups with private sectors in order to expand their markets," Bueno said.
The validation team composed of DAR Regional and Provincial officials visited the Bagong Pag-asa Credit Cooperative (BPCC), a DAR-assisted organization engaged in virgin coconut oil production at New Panay, Pigcawayan.
During the short consultation meeting, Assistant Regional Director for Admin and Support Services H. Roldan Ali, Al Haj, explained that DAR wanted to improve the process and product of the ARBOs to have a steady market or expand them to a bigger market.
Meanwhile, Seminiana Bawik, project manager of BPCC, is grateful to DAR for the continued assistance given to them.
"We are thankful to DAR for considering us as a potential recipient of the proposed coconut value chain boosting project," Bawik said.
The BPCC is a recipient of the Village Level Farm-focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) project. They also received VCO processing machines and equipment under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project and is now in the process of registration with the Food and Drug Administration.
The validation activity was led by ARDA Ali, Maria Cecilia Machan, Jasmine Ezradin Trihana Linso, Virginia Obrero, Ramil Lumawag, and Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officers Maricel Bona and Christy Nullada, and PCA Provincial Manager Ruben Tacadao. (With reports from Amiroden T. Ali of DARMO Pigcawayan)