By Cyrus A. Natividad
Former DAR Region 6 Director Alexis Mirador Arsenal.
Alexis Mirador Arsenal was an important guest at a Ground Breaking Ceremony in Sta. Barbara on Monday June 27, 2022. The younger generation of Centralian Agriculturists would not have known how influential Arcenal is in agriculture until they’ve talked to him.
He was answering curious questions from fellow guests during the ceremony. He was with his batch mates from CPU College of Agriculture circa 1970. He was President of the CPU College of Agriculture Alumni Association from 2018 to 2020, and has been awarded Outstanding Alumnus of the CPU College of Agriculture.
Much of his experiences with the Department of Agrarian Reform (including being the Regional Director of Region 6 and Region 8) were important pieces of history during the implementation of the DAR Program. He was employed by the Department during the administration of the late President Marcos, the father of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. in 1973.
Arsenal was responsible in implementing the essential Land Reform Program in Western Visayas. After only 6 months of working with the Department, he was given the Outstanding DAR Extension Supervisor Award by the government. The conversion of agricultural lands for commercial or housing purposes according to Arsenal, was his major task in the DAR. It was interesting to learn from him that he was part in the conversion of a parcel of agricultural land into a subdivision, now known as the CPU Centennial Village.
He said, “I was confronted with the difficult task of investigating and reconciling issues between farmers and powerful land owners. Many cases were thrown on my desk, as a result of defending the poor; I never backed out and I never gave up. I know I was doing the right decisions. That is the essence of working for God.” God guided and protected me. As it went on, I was absolved of the cases filed against me. I stayed in the DAR for 40 years before retiring.
“I enjoy more, now that I’m back with Centralians in the CPU ARUGA organization.” I also hope to help more in the development of CPU College of Agriculture,” Arsenal said. When asked about the Central Spirit, he said, “I think it is in the heart and mind of every Centralian. The Central Spirit is the glue that binds CPU alumni together in any event, activity and prosperity.”
Arsenal studied Advanced Land Reform Program and Rural Development at the Land Reform Training Institute (LRTI) in Taiwan. The government also sent him to study at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in Makati, Metro Manila to take up a Program for Development Manager.