COTABATO CITY – In support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP), the Department of Agrarian Reform National Office released P4.5 million to DAR- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in the region.

DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, who was the guest of honor and speaker during the Independence Day celebration in ARMM here, released the amount for the micro-financing program of the department under the CLEEP.

Pangandaman said the P4.5 million is an initial assistance from the national government to support the unserved communities and their households of Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Lanao del Sur.

The amount will be released by DAR-ARMM to fifteen (15) microfinance institutions and cooperatives as interest-free loans. Pangandaman said the program aims to make available support funds to finance the micro-credit/microfinance needs of the unserved ARBs in the poorest communities.

During the program, he also led the ARMM officials headed by ARMM Executive Secretary Atty. Oscar Sampulna and DAR-ARMM Secretary Allen Usman in distributing 242 Certified Land Titles to ARBs to beneficiaries in the eight (8) municipalities in Maguindanao.

In December 2008, President Macapagal-Arroyo launched a national program entitled CLEEP which aims to protect the most vulnerable sectors such as poor, hungry, returning expatriates, women in the export industry, out of school youths) from threats and consequences of reduced or lost income as a result of the global economic meltdown.

Pangandaman is designated by President Arroyo as program steward for ARMM whose task is to ensure the proper implementation of the program. He is also the cabinet official for regional development (CORD)-ARMM.

In his message, he reiterated the support of the national government for the peace and development efforts of the ARMM regional government. He also announced to the farmer-beneficiaries the recent approval of the House Representatives the bill which seeks to extend the life of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

ARMM Regional Governor DatU Zaldy Uy Ampatuan expressed elation over the continuous support of the national government to his peace and development programs, adding that the fund released by DAR is a big boost to the ARCs livelihood. (bpi-armm)