DAR, DTI, DOST upgrade Benguet cooperative facility

TUBLAY, Benguet — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), has strengthened inter-agency collaboration to advance rural enterprise development with the launch of an upgraded cooperative facility in Barangay Ambongdolan, Tublay.

The initiative, implemented under the Village Level Farm-Focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) Project, was formalized through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 25 for the Batwag Multipurpose Cooperative (BMPC).

DAR Benguet officer-in-charge Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Lailani A. Cortez led the event alongside DTI Provincial Director Felicitas O. Bandonill and DOST Provincial Director Sheila Marie B. Singa-Claver. BMPC Board Chairperson Nena Wasit also attended the ceremony.

The upgraded production facility was supported by P500,000 worth of construction materials funded through the VLFED Project, aimed at enhancing the cooperative’s operational capacity and productivity.

Under the agreement, DAR will spearhead program implementation, including procurement of materials in line with Republic Act No. 12009 or the New Government Procurement Reform Act, facility renovation coordination, and provision of technical assistance, capacity-building, and marketing support.

DTI and DOST will deliver technical and extension services, focusing on product development, promotion, and monitoring of key performance indicators such as sales, employment, and investments. Both agencies will also support training initiatives aligned with their respective mandates.

As the project beneficiary, BMPC will oversee facility management and ensure coordination with stakeholders and partner agencies.

The event was witnessed by local officials, including Tublay Mayor Juan L. Esnara, represented by Councilor Lailyn D. Polig-Paquitol, along with municipal and barangay officials, DAR personnel, and cooperative members.

The VLFED Project is a multi-agency effort designed to build sustainable, market-driven enterprises among agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations, aiming to improve rural livelihoods and local economic resilience.