Marketing Agreement (MA) Signing Between DSWD CRCF and the Lanawan Farmers Cooperative & Canfabi Integrated Farmers Association
DSWD CRCF Centers & Lanawan Farmers Cooperative & Canfabi Integrated Farmers Association signing assisted by DSWD FO VIII EPAHP and SLP RPMO

Marketing Agreement (MA) Signing Between DSWD CRCF and the Lanawan Farmers Cooperative & Canfabi Integrated Farmers Association

The signing of MA between the DSWD CRCF and Lanawan Farmers Cooperative & Canfabi Integrated Farmers Association was finalized, realizing the EPAHP mandate to provide access to CBOs as suppliers to government institutional feeding program of the government in Region VIII

The long-awaited Marketing Agreement signing between the DSWD FO VIII Centers and Residential Care Facilities (CRCF) and the Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Lanawan Farmers Association (LAFA) of Mac Arthur, Leyte & the CANFABI Integrated Farmers Association of Carigara, Leyte, was forged and finalized last January 12, 2024. The signing took place at the Home for Girls Conference Room, Pawing, Palo Leyte. Composed of four (4) Centers; The Regional Haven for Women (RHW), Home for Girls (HFG), the Regional Rehabilitation Center for the Youth (RRCY), and the Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC), formally entered into agreement with the CBOs to supply the needed commodities of the centers in compliance with the directives of the DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian Memorandum dated November 08. 2023 “Reiteration on the Utilization of Negotiated Procurement Community Participation (NPCP) in the Implementation of DSWD Feeding Program” directing that 30% of the food requirements for DSWD Institutional Feeding Program be purchased from local farmers and fisherfolks, which is reinforced by Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Resolution No. 18-2021 “Guidelines for the Conduct of Community Participation. These include the Supplementary Program (SFP), CRCF, and the Bangsamoro Umpungan Sa Nutrisyon (BangUn) Project. NPCP will be the modality of the Centers for their purchase of processed foods such as canned goods, noodles, and other commodities, where most of the winning bidders are private businesses. Led by the DSWD EPAHP RPMO a strategic convergence program of the government, facilitated the agreement until its recent finalization.

The said event is a testament to the agency’s pursuit of ending hunger and poverty in the country being the lead agency in the Inter-Agency Task-Force – Zero Hunger (IATF-ZH) under Executive Order no. 27, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Providing CBOs access to the procurement system of the institutional feeding program will ensure income generation and market of the agriculture and fisheries products, allowing their organization to grow and established sustainability, while providing the needs of the government, the community, resulting for local economic development – thus addressing hunger, poverty, and malnutrition.

With the leadership of EPAHP Regional Program Coordinator Sir Noel P. Villones, with its EPAHP Staff, EPAHP CBGAO Jeffrey Paul Q. Ventura, and OMO Dennis B. Mosquito, with the Sustainable Livelihood Program Provincial Coordinator (PC) of Leyte I, Mr. Benjie B. Pelen, and its PDO II Junaliza A. Nacianceno. The DSWD CRCF is represented by CRCF Centers Coordinator SWO III, Ms. Josamae M. Sedillo who is also heading the RSCC, SWO IV, Ms. Georgina M. Bulasa, Head of RRCY, SWO III, Ms. Hilda B. Tambio of HFW Head (SWO II, represented by Ms. Grace N. Budiongan), and the Head of HFG, SWO III Ms. Delia P. Aguirre. The CBOs were represented by LANAWAN President Ms. Claire De Luis and CANFABI President Florencio Darriquez, Jr.