STA. FE, LEYTE — To boost agri-enterprise development and expand market opportunities for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), the Department of Agrarian Reform Regional Office VIII (DARRO VIII) turned over a ₱500,000 peanut butter processing facility to the San Isidro Organic Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative (SIOFARCO) in Barangay San Isidro, Sta. Fe, Leyte.
Rapid Three-Month Collaborative Enterprise Project
Funded under DAR’s Village-Level Farm-Focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) program, the processing facility was completed in just three months—progressing rapidly from its initial buy-in session on July 2, 2026, to groundbreaking on July 29, 2026, and its formal turnover.
The ceremony was led by DAR Assistant Regional Director for Administration and Program Beneficiaries Development (ARDA) Ronelo Jose K. Zamora and Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) II Roderick B. Rances.
Inter-agency partners present included Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) Burauen Campus Director Erwin Oscar P. Ripalda, alongside representatives from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Local Government Unit of Sta. Fe.
Institutional Support And Market Partnerships
The multi-agency partnership addresses production machinery, technical training, and product placement for the cooperative:
DOST Assistance: Provided essential processing equipment and technical advisory to meet quality and safety standards.
EVSU Campus Market Access: EVSU-Burauen Campus Director Ripalda pledged to feature SIOFARCO’s peanut butter products in the university canteen, securing an immediate institutional market.
DTI & LGU Branding: Collaborative assistance for product packaging, branding, and local market distribution.
Strengthening Agrarian Livelihoods Beyond Land Titles
PARPO Roderick B. Rances emphasized that DAR’s mandate goes beyond land distribution to include post-harvest facilities, financial linkage, and enterprise support to uplift rural farming families.
SIOFARCO Chairperson Rebecca Barredo expressed gratitude to the participating government agencies and committed to maximizing the facility for the whole community:
"Damo nga salamat ha iyo padayon nga pagsuporta. Naniningkamot kami nga magin malinampuson ini nga proyekto, kay diri la para ha amon kooperatiba kundi para liwat ha bug-os nga barangay," Barredo shared.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I Ellyn G. Dico concluded the event by challenging the cooperative to maintain high production quality and active marketing strategies to ensure sustainable income growth for its member farmers.
