BALINGASAG, Misamis Oriental -- Joining the government’s fight against hunger and poverty, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Misamis Oriental recently signed a partnership agreement with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) not only to help the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province create a steady income but also to provide healthy food to the inmates of the BJMP.

“This is the fourth sealed marketing agreement made possible by the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) project of the DAR, which had so far provided market access to a total of four (4) agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) from the four (4) municipalities of Misamis Oriental,” DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Maybelle Alcala said.

She said the partnership will benefit the city, district, and municipality jails in Misamis Oriental and is part of the government’s EPAHP program.

The marketing agreement this time will establish the DAR-assisted ARB Organization (ARBO), the Samay Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SAMULCO) as an exclusive supplier of vegetables to its direct buyer, the BJMP - Balingasag District Jail.

“This program guarantees the farmers with a ready market for their products while the jails are assured of freshly harvested vegetables,” Alcala said.

She said that the  BJMP - Balingasag District Jail will regularly buy SAMULCO’s products in Brgy. Samay, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental based on the prevailing market price, which will definitely generate a steady income for the ARBO.

“Under the EPAHP, instead of buying food supplies elsewhere, the city, district, and municipality jails are encouraged to buy healthy food supplies from the agrarian reform cooperatives to feed the inmates,” Alcala explained.

She said that a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between SAMULCO represented by the BOD Chairperson Juanito Yugom, coop manager Raquel Ermita, and BJMP - Balingasag District Jail Senior Jail Officer IV Elmer Lim.

Lim expressed his commitment of support to the program, stating that: "I welcome and appreciate this new partnership with DAR which will benefit our local farmers' access to sure buyers of their farm produce.”

SAMULCO BOD Chairperson Juanito Yugom expressed his sincere appreciation to the two agencies for the opportunity and he said that he is looking forward to a long-term partnership.

EPAHP is the initiative and banner program of the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger to eradicate hunger by 2030. (DAR)