SEEN as another milestone in the incumbency of Department of Agriculture (DA) regional executive director Oscar Parawan, an organization whose rationale is to advance the interest of public service retirees was established recently.
The new association, which will likewise represent the welfare of retirees from the agriculture department’s service, is called DA-CAREs 9 Inc., acronym for Department of Agriculture Concern Association of Retired and Retirable Employees of Region 9 Inc.
DA-CAREs is a non-profit, non-stock organization organized last June 25 at WESMIARC, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
The organization’s mission is to provide efficient implementation of various programs, activities and projects that support members’ social, economic, political, spiritual and ecological aspirations as well as life-sustaining services attuned to integrity, excellence and professionalism.
President Samuel Simbajon, 64, thanked Parawan for the initiative in making sure that the retirement income and benefits of members earned while in public service are safe.
“RED Parawan cares for all of us, retired and retirables,” he said as he called on contemporaries in the department to join their group.
He added that Parawan has been very supportive in the lobbying efforts to establish and activate DA-CAREs and hopes there will be an overwhelming number of members soon who will share the same concerns.
Simbajon said he is looking forward to Nov. 25, his birthday and his retirement date as DA-9 chief of agricultural extension program division.
It was learned that the new corporation for retirables is not limited only to the 78 retirees of DA all over Zamboanga Peninsula and its attached agencies but will also involve other agriculture offices from different LGUs.
REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9