Benguet State University (BSU) recognizes the invaluable contribution of the farmers who have cultivated portions of the University’s agricultural lands over the years under the Farmer Cooperator Program. This initiative has provided livelihood opportunities for many families, and their dedication, hard work, and partnership with the University have significantly contributed to the development of these areas.

The University understands that the implementation of the Farmer Cooperator Program Policy has raised concerns, particularly among those who have been cultivating the University lands for many years, including successive generations of the same families. BSU acknowledges these concerns and values their sentiments.

At the same time, the University has been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that all University-owned properties are managed in accordance with the principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, and the best interests of the institution and the public it serves.

The Policy was established to provide a clear and equitable framework for the utilization of University agricultural lands by qualified farmer-cooperators. One of its provisions disqualifies persons who are related to existing farmer cooperators within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity from simultaneously participating in the Program. This measure was adopted to prevent the continued concentration of the privilege within a limited number of families and to provide qualified individuals and families with a fair opportunity to participate in the Program.

The University reminds all stakeholders that the privilege to cultivate University-owned land is not a vested right, but it is a privilege granted by the University subject to the policies, terms, and conditions it may prescribe in the exercise of its mandate to administer and protect its properties for the benefit of the University and the public.

The University likewise recognizes that many of the affected farmer cooperators have devoted years, and in some instances generations, to cultivating these lands which have become a source of livelihood for their families. For many years, the University has also extended consideration to existing arrangements while balancing its mandates in instruction, research, extension, and production. However, as the steward of public property, BSU must also ensure that opportunities are distributed equitably and that access to University resources is not confined to a limited number of individuals or families across generations.

The adoption of this policy reflects the University’s commitment to broaden access to livelihood opportunities by allowing other qualified members of the community to benefit from the Program.

While the University remains open to respectful dialogue and appreciates the views of all stakeholders, it likewise has the duty to faithfully implement duly approved policies that have been carefully studied and adopted.

𝗕𝗦𝗨 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆’𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆’𝘀 𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆, 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁.