SEC Tarlac, DAR speed up registration of farmers’ groups in Bulacan
The Securities and Exchange Commission- Tarlac Extension Office (SEC-TAREO) in partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)- Bulacan Provincial Office successfully organized the Bulacan Leg of the SEC Investor Education Campaign and One-stop Shop Caravan on Company Registration held in the City of Baliwag, Bulacan.
17 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) from different parts of Bulacan were assisted in their online registration to obtain juridical capacity as farmers’ associations. The farmer-leaders of Bulacan were also capacitated in complying with their SEC annual reports through the Electronic Filing and Submission Tool (eFAST) portal which will help them to avoid penalties and maintain good standing with the Commission.
Geraldine B. Yumul, DAR Bulacan Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II), said their collaboration with SEC-TAREO is part of their commitment to helping newly-organized ARBOs in the province in securing and complying with all the SEC regulatory requirements.
“Their registration will open up new opportunities for them, as they are now eligible to receive more government support as duly-registered associations,” she said.
For his part, SEC-TAREO Information Officer II Mark M. Catacutan highlighted that these efforts of the Commission of assisting our farmers and their organizations are in line with the President’s priority programs on food security and agriculture.
“In pursuit of ease of doing business initiatives of the Commission, the SEC-TAREO will continue to work with various stakeholders in the region to bring SEC closer to the people at the grassroots level including our farmers,” Catacutan said.
Meanwhile, farmer Herbert Ortega, an officer of the newly-registered Samahan ng Magsasaka at Maggugulay ng Maronquillo Inc. of San Rafael, Bulacan expressed his gratitude to the SEC and DAR for the easier and faster processing of their registration and for providing them support for their organizational development.
Aside from the online registration assistance, the SEC-TAREO also trained selected DAR Bulacan employees and facilitators about the online services of the Commission to assist their ARBOs in dealing with SEC transactions.