Tacloban City (March 15) -- The DAR-NLSF-Livelihood Credit Assistance Program for Agrarian Reform Communities (LCAP for ARCs) in Region 8 has already benefitted 29 Agrarian Reform Communities and 5,222 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries with the total amount of P44,783,200.

This was bared by Ms. Candida Dabuet-Labro of the Department of Agrarian Reform Region 8.

The total amount of P44,783,200 have been released, as of December 2008, through eight program conduits in the provinces of Biliran, Northern Samar and Leyte has improved the lives of 5,222 agrarian reform beneficiaries, Ms. Labro informed the Philippine Information Agency.

The 29 Agrarian Reform Communities which benefitted from the National Livelihood Support Fund-Livelihood Credit Assistance Program include the ARCs at Cabugcayan in Biliran province; Bobon, Allen, Victoria, Mapanas, Gamay, Laoang, Las Navas and Catarman in Northern Samar.

Also included are the ARCs in the province of Leyte namely, Hilongos, Tabango, Ormoc, Burauen, Kananga, Dulag, Mayorga, Dagami, Alangalang, Tanauan and Baybay, among others.

The program conduits are the Samahang Pangkabuhayan ng Riverside Multipurpose Cooperative and Almeria Seafarers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, in the province of Biliran. The total micro-finance fund released to Biliran, which benefitted 120 ARBs, amounts to P2,656,200.

In the province of Northern Samar, the conduit is the Northern Samar Development Workers Community Cooperative. The total micro-finance fund released to Northern Samar is P9,527,000, which benefitted 1,014 agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, in the province of Leyte, the program conduits are the Liberty-Concepcion Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Basak-Layog Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Metro Ormoc Community Cooperative; and Abuyog St. Francis Xavier Credit Cooperative.

The total releases to the province of Leyte amounts to P32,600,000 which benefitted about 4,086 agrarian reform beneficiaries.