QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Western Visayas has launched an online store to help the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in their area sell their products and keep up with the latest trends in social media marketing.

“Napakahalaga at sobrang laki ang naiambag at mai-aambag pa ng ating mga ARBs sa ating ekonomiya, at sa ating sa komunidad. Huwag nating  kalimutan na sa bawat inaning palay, ay butil ng buhay ang inaalay. Kaya nararapat lamang na bigyan natin sila ng pagpupugay at halaga bilang kapalit ng kanilang pagpapakahirap. Sila po ating ang makabagong bayani,” DAR Western Visayas Regional Director Atty. Sheila B. Enciso said during the blended ARBs Summit and  virtual launching of “ARBO Merkado”.

Enciso disclosed that  “ARBO Merkado”  will serve as the online shopping window where potential customers can watch and buy the products made by different agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) in Western Visayas. The posted items vary from consumable, healthy foods to durable, native, or ornamental  displays.

“Through this, we can give them more income, revitalize and strengthen their hope for them to continuously fight the challenges of life, especially in this time of the pandemic. We have fifty (50) products available online in ARBO Merkado, it will continue to increase in the coming days,” Enciso said.

She said the DAR-Western Visayas, through the agrarian reform beneficiaries development and sustainability program created a Facebook page named “ARBO Merkado” at https://www.facebook.com/ ARBOmerkado, which will serve as an online marketing strategy that aims to showcase various products made by ARBOs in Region 6 and attract consumers from different regions in the Philippines.

“Virtually united with the DAR Provincial Offices of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental I and Negros Occidental II, the event presented a kind of market which is not only accessible to everyone but is also a perfect response of overcoming the hurdles brought by the pandemic,” she said.

“Tangkilikin po natin ang produkto ng ating mga ARBO,” Enciso said. (DAR)