Shared action for South BonPen development
San Pablo City, Laguna – In the southernmost part of the province of Quezon, near the Bicol region, lies the South Bondoc Peninsula (South BonPen), an area that makes up 19% of the province. It encompasses seven municipalities – San Francisco (Alonan), San Andres, San Narciso, Mulanay, Catanauan, Buenavista, and Macalelon.
Agriculture is the backbone of these towns, with vast coconut plantations managed mostly by smallholder farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries. Despite these rich natural resources, poverty remains a pressing issue. These municipalities record double-digit poverty incidence rates. Challenges such as a lack of capital, weak cooperative systems, and limited access to basic services continue to hinder progress.
Partnerships for Change
To address these challenges, representatives from agrarian reform organizations, microfinance institutions, development organizations, and government institutions gathered for the South Bondoc Peninsula Stakeholder Meeting on August 26, 2025, in San Pablo, Laguna.
Organized by the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), in cooperation with Kilusan para sa Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan (KATARUNGAN), the meeting focused on strategies to build sustainable livelihoods and strengthen the Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) cooperatives. Discussions explored potential alignments in health, education, capacity-building, and enterprise support.
This partnership also aligns with government priorities for developing the peninsula, serving as a strategic complement under the broader Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) of the Philippine Coconut Authority. Through this initiative, farmers gain access to government funding and technical assistance.
In his presentation, KATARUNGAN’s Secretary-General, Danny Carranza, noted that the struggle of farmers continues towards achieving genuine progress.
“Ang pamamahagi ng lupa ay mahalagang hakbang ngunit hindi wakas ng laban laban sa kahirapan,” he said.
[The land distribution is a vital step towards our goal of genuine reform. But this is not yet the end of our fight against poverty.]
PEF and its partner, the Quezon Federation and Union of Cooperatives (QFUC), have committed to strengthening the capacities of enterprises. Microfinance leaders, such as the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development – Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI) and the ASA Philippines Foundation, also pledged continued support to improve social services and livelihood in the area.
Key figures present in the meeting included former Agrarian Reform Secretary Ernesto Garilao, ASA Philippines President Rafael Lopa, CARD-MRI Founder and Chairman Emeritus Dr. Aristotle Alip, PEF Executive Director Roberto Calingo, QFUC CEO Randy Fajardo, and Jerwin Samsom from the Department of Trade and Industry.