(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Saturday, 12 July 2025) The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continues to affect Mindanao. FORECAST: The Zamboanga Peninsula will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon. These conditions may lead to possible flash floods or landslides, especially during moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms also influenced by the Southwest Monsoon. Winds will be light to moderate from the southwest, with slight to moderate seas (wave height between 0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Monday, 7 July 2025

Multi-agency support expands coco biz of agrarian reform cooperative

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) - Recognized as an agrarian reform cooperative, Libas Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) has expanded its operations beyond producing virgin coconut oil to a wide array of value-added products such as cookies, pretzels, coco juice, coco jam, massage oil, and coco vinegar, all marketed under the brand Jabonga Lakeside. 

These products are now FDA-accredited and carry a Certificate of Product Registration, making them competitive in both local and national markets.

With 181 active members from different barangays of Jabonga in the province of Agusan del Norte, the Libas Farmers MPC continues to thrive as a vital force for agricultural development, empowering local coconut farmers through sustainable livelihood and enterprise, bolstered by continued government and private sector support.

According to Cooperative Chairperson Rebecca C. Felix, the sustained progress of the cooperative would not have been possible without government assistance.

“Mapasalamaton kami sa gobyerno sa ilang walay puas nga suporta. Sa tabang sa kooperatiba, aduna na’y klarong panginabuhian ang mga mag-uuma sa among lugar (We thank the government for the unwavering support. Because of the government support, our farmer- members have stable income in our place),” she said, thanking the government for providing coconut farmers with reliable sources of livelihood and income.

The cooperative has benefitted from the assistance of multiple agencies, including the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech). Their contributions range from production, processing equipment, product development to skills training and marketing assistance.

PCA Caraga Regional Manager Manolito Casapao reaffirmed their commitment to the cooperative’s long-term sustainability. “The PCA will continue to provide technical support and necessary interventions to sustain their production and further uplift the lives of our coconut farmers,” he said.

The cooperative’s achievements extend to wider platforms, having joined the World Coconut Congress in Manila and various regional and national trade fairs across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, further increasing market exposure and demand for their products.

As Libas Farmers MPC continues its journey toward self-sufficiency and inclusive economic growth, it stands as a model of how strong government-cooperative partnerships can transform agriculture and create lasting impact in rural communities. (NCLM, PIA Agusan del Norte)