PALAYAN CITY — Outstanding agrarian reform beneficiaries and organizations in Nueva Ecija were cited during the 2025 Provincial Gawad Agraryo Awards held at the Nueva Ecija Convention Center in Palayan City.
The awarding ceremony, led by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), aims to recognize the most progressive individual beneficiaries, organizations, communities, and partner institutions that contribute to inclusive and sustainable rural development.
DAR Assistant Secretary James Arsenio Ponce stressed that the awards are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of inclusive development and agricultural modernization.
“May puwang po sa puso ni President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang ating mga programa, lalong-lalo na ang ating agrarian reform beneficiaries o ARBs (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has a place in his heart for our programs, especially for our ARBs),” he said.
He also affirmed DAR’s continued support to ARBs through organizing, capacity-building, and innovative farming technologies to improve productivity and livelihood.
“Tuloy-tuloy lang po ang Department of Agrarian Reform na magbibigay serbisyo — mula sa pag-oorganisa, pagpapalakas ng skills, at pagde-develop ng produkto mula sa inyong sakahan (DAR will continue delivering services — from organizing, skills enhancement, to developing products from your farms),” Ponce added.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Eden Ponio shared that Nueva Ecija’s nominees won at the regional level and will compete for national recognition in September.
“Ang gusto po nating sabihin sa mga kapwa agrarian reform beneficiaries ay sila po ang modelo ng ating programa — ibig sabihin, sa lupang binigay ng gobyerno, may buhay at may pag-asa ang bawat magsasaka (We want our fellow ARBs to know that these awardees are models of the program — they show that on the land given by the government, every farmer can find life and hope),” Ponio said.
One of the awardees, Eduardo Policarpio of Cabanatuan City, thanked DAR and President Marcos for the land that helped him grow his cooperative and support his family.
“Napalaki po kasi ‘yung lupa na ipinagkaloob sa akin — siya pong naging trabaho at kabuhayan ko, kung paano ko napalaki ang aking pamilya… dati po ay maliit na kooperatiba, ngayon po ay medium-sized cooperative na (The land awarded to me became my livelihood, which helped me raise my family… our cooperative used to be small, but now it’s medium-sized),” Policarpio said.
Chairperson Allan Benitez of Simula ng Panibagong Bukas Multi-Purpose Cooperative also expressed gratitude for DAR’s continued support, adding that farmers remain committed to producing food despite challenges such as low palay prices.
“Sana po ay bumalik sa dati na medyo mataas ang presyo para hindi naman po ganong bumaba o masaktan ‘yung mga magsasaka… pero nangangako po kami bilang magsasaka na hindi kami lulubay na magsaka para may kainin ang sambayanang Pilipino (We hope palay prices will return to better levels so that farmers won’t be hurt financially… but we, as farmers, promise that we won’t stop producing food for the Filipino people),” Benitez said.
Meanwhile, DAR officials reminded beneficiaries to treasure their awarded lands and assured them of continued government assistance for the advancement of rural communities. (MJSC/MCAL, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija GIP)