By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz Twenty outstanding agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) from Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan were cited by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). Out of 176 ARBOs from the region, 20 stood out as the best performing cooperatives in terms of growth, income, management, and sustainability. Ten farmers were also awarded with National Certification II on Agroentrepreneurship by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. DAR Secretary John Castriciones said these citations are proof of the hard work of the ARBOs and the assistance of the department and its partner agencies to help increase farmers’ income and uplift their lives. The 20 awarded ARBOs include the CK Plus Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Mansalay Agriculture and Fisheries Development Cooperative, Narra Irrigators and Advocates Multi-Purpose Cooperative, San Miguel Farmers and Fishers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Sta. Maria Agrarian Reform Community Cooperative, Samahang Gumagawa Tungong Tagumpay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Lourdes Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Elvita Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Tanikala ng Pagkakaisa Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Mindoro Progressive Multi-Purpose Cooperative. It also include Bagtingon Upland Farmers Association of Land Occupants, Calma Socio Economic Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Agra Progreso Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Gloria Site, Tagumpay ng Curanta Free Farmers Cooperative, Samahan ng mga Manggagawa sa Balatasan, Samahan ng Magpapatubig ng Mansalay, Inc., Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Kababaihan ng Matulatula, Malalong Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Magdiwang Agrarian Reform Community. Earlier, Castriciones said farmers’ role in society is critical because the entire nation will go hungry without them. “The Department of Agrarian Reform is doing its best not only to distribute CLOAs but also to provide support services so that agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) will be able to improve their lives,” he said. Apart from infrastructure and social development projects, DAR also provides lending services to ARBs.