8.10.2008

Lapinig - Special Agrarian Reform Community

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Central Office recently confirmed Lapinig, Northern Samar as a Special Agrarian Reform Community. Agrarian Reform Communities are beneficiaries of projects which will be implemented as part of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program's support services component.

Agrarian Reform Communities are considered growth points in the countryside wherein projects extended by different stakeholders are implemented in order to improve agricultural production and increase household income in rural communities.

Studies have showed that Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries living within the Agrarian Reform Communities are better off than their counterparts in non-Agrarian Reform Communities.

Region 8 has now a total of 153 Agrarian Reform Communities, and about 59 of these are recipients of projects such as those funded by the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the governments of Japan, Spain and Australia among others.

2008 National Literacy Awards Regional Awardees

Pursuant to DepEd Memorandum 59 series of 2008 entitled the 2008 Literacy Awards, Region 8 conducted the Regional Search for the awardees of the 2008 National Literacy Awards. The National Literacy Awards has two categories: the Outstanding Literacy Program Award and the Outstanding Local Government Unit Award.

And among the awardees are several Nortehanons or Northern Samar based personnel like Lt. Colonel Lenard T. Agustin, Commanding Officer of the 63rd Infantry (Innovator) Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Barangay Opong, Catubig, Northern Samar, for Outstanding Literacy Program with project sites at Barangays Opong, Corocorong, Hangi and Guyo. Also cited were the Barangay Chairmen of those places: Teresita J. Casio, of Barangay Guyo, Las Navas, Northern Samar; Apolinar Tafala, Jr. of Brgy. Hangi, Las Navas, N. Samar; and Rolando Enero of Brgy Corocorong, San Roque, Northern Samar. The Outstanding Literacy Program Award, is given to a literacy program being implemented by a non-government or civic organization, academic institution, which has evident positive impact on the learners and the community.

Mayor Alfred Romualdez of Tacloban City, is the Regional awardee for Outstanding Local Government Unit, Component City Category. Tanauan, Leyte Mayor, Hon. Roque A. Tiu, is Regional awardee for the Outstanding Local Government Unit Municipal Category for the first to third class municipality. With him, Barangay Captain Claro Fulton P. Morantte of Barangay Licod, Tanauan was also cited. For the Outstanding Local Government Unit fouth to sixth class municipality category, Mayor Pedro V. Fustanes, Jr. Of Bontoc, Southern Leyte is the Regional Awardee. The Local Government Unit Award shall be given to a local government unit, city or municipal government, which has developed policies, programs and projects conducive to literacy development and which have efficaciously made a positive impact on the barangays and the quality of life of the people.

The 2008 National Literacy Awards is a project of the Literacy Coordinating Council and the Department of Education, in support of the National Government's commitment to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing adult illiteracy by half in 2015, and consequently improve the quality of life of the Filipino.

The awards will be distributed during the 33rd Founding Anniversary of the Department of Education Regional Office 8 on August 21-22, 2008.