The CDA Region V Extension Office entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Agrarian Reform Bicol Region on June 10, 2025 at DAR Camarines Sur I Provincial Office, Triangulo, Naga City.

Regional Director Atty. Emilio D. Escueta III, together with Regional Director Reuben Theodore C. Sindac, CESO VI representing DAR, forged the “Cooperative Organzation, Registration and Empowerment of ARBOs” (CORE-ARBOs), a program focused on the side by side render of technical assistance from both agencies to convert Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries from being associations to becoming cooperatives.

The underpinning objective does not end with registration but is carried on up to the compliance of annual reportorial requirements by CDA. A resounding uphold from CDA is manifested after all six provinces in the region are represented by their respective Cooperatives Development Specialists, namely Mr. Antony Galvan, CDS II of Camarines Norte, Ms. Roma Belano, CDS II of Camarines Sur, Ms. Ma Lucia Myrlin Botin, CDS II of Albay, Mr. Ramon Mendizabal, CDS II of Sorsogon, Mr. Janard Manlangit, CDS II of Catanduanes and Mr. Isidro Navea III, CDS II of Masbate, along with Supervising Cooperatives Development Specialist Engr. Zaldy G. Bermejo, who all stood and signed as witnesses of this momentous partnership of CDA and DAR.

This MOA signing is an outcome of exploratory talks attended by the Cooperative Research, Information and Training Section headed by Ms. Marie Chris G. Valencia, Senior CDS.