TORRIJOS, Marinduque (PIA ) -- Speechless and emotional, Chairperson Emelita Mandia fought hard to hold back her tears as she tried to give her message of acceptance during the turnover ceremony of the buko pie processing center to their Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organization(ARBO), the Sibuyao Pangkabuhayan CARP Farmer Beneficiaries Producers Cooperative.

“Kami po ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng tulong ninyo para sa amin. Alam ko po na gusto ninyo na mapaunlad ang aming samahan at makadagdag ng income sa mga miyembro ng samahan. Ito po ay malaking tulong sa amin at para rin sa mga mamamayan ng Sibuyao,” Mandia said.

As she extended her gratitude to Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), she also promised to improve their enterprise more, “Kung medyo napalago po namin ang income sa aming buko pie noong una, lalo pa po namin itong pagsusumikapan upang ito ay mas umunlad. Maraming maraming salamat po sa inyo”.

The improvement and renovation of their buko pie processing center is a P400,000-worth project of DAR under the Village Level Farm-Focused Enterprise Development (VLFED).

On his remarks, Engr. Anton Llanes, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer of Torrijos, only asked them to sustain their business operations, most especially their organization; and hoped that the ARBO will love and take care of the building. He also has high hopes for the ARBO as he looks forward to their Food and Drug Authority license acquisition to be processed the coming year. Moreover, he thanked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Marinduque for their continuous support to the projects of DAR.

On the other hand, Engr. Virgilio Laggui, OIC-Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer of DAR-Marinduque expressed his appreciation and pride for the Sibuyao Pangkabuhayan CARP Farmer Beneficiaries Producers Cooperative. He shared that as part of the national government assisting organizations such as Sibuyao Cooperative, DAR and DTI feel twice as accomplished in their achievements as it also reflects the assistance provided by the government.

Also present in the ceremony was DTI-Marinduque Provincial Director Roniel Macatol who praised the processing center for being worth its cost as it is completely and wonderfully built. Since they now have a good facility, he also challenged and motivated the ARBO to further improve their product to be more competitive in the market and to reach new heights. “It is our goal na mabigyan kayo ng License to Operate ng FDA and Certificate of Product Registration. Pagtutulungan po natin ‘yan with our partners sa DAR”, he added.

For the closing remarks, OIC-Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ollie Davalos thanked everyone who had a vital contribution in materializing the project. She assured that the agency will continue to assist and support them in strengthening their organization.

Based in the mountains of Sibuyao in the town of Torrijos, Marinduque the Sibuyao Pangkabuhayan CARP Farmer Beneficiaries Producers Cooperative began baking and selling buko pies in the peak of the pandemic. Despite their early struggles, this ARBO in Sibuyao has persevered and continued to thrive. (RAMJR/PIA Mimaropa-Marinduque)