PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - Garut Regency Village Patriots held the Janaloka Village Festival (West Java Binangkit Bersana Local Mobilizers), in the yard of the Mekarbakti Village Office, Kadungora District (6/12/2023).

Bambang Hafidz said that this Village Festival was initiated by Patriot Village, a program initiated by the West Java Provincial Government through the West Java Province DPMD.

The Village Patriots succeeded in forming a local movement, which is expected to provide benefits in the development and development of the village.

In Garut Regency itself, Patriot Village is spread across 11 villages in 5 sub-districts in Garut Regency, starting from Kadungora, Cisompet, Cibalong, Pasirwangi and Cikajang sub-districts.

He revealed that based on the report he received, the Village Patriots had succeeded in forming a new entity called a local mobilizer, which he said would be beneficial for the village, especially in developing and building the village.

"From what the village patriots have done, it has produced local mobilizers, and this of course must be utilized in the future, there are programs in the DPMD and in each village, because the most interested are the villages, including the Garut Regency Government, and those who have the greatest potential to be able to "developing is the village itself," said Bambang.

Bambang Hafidz emphasized that villages not only need to focus on infrastructure, but also must be able to develop innovation. He is optimistic that the work of Village Patriots in 11 villages can be an example for other villages, especially in facing selection at the provincial level in 2024.

"We hope that more villages will emerge, so that the results will be more widespread in the villages of Garut district," he hoped.

Raden Julianto from DPMD West Java Province appreciated the good collaboration between Patriot Village and the regional government. He hopes that this Village Festival can be developed more widely, not only in villages that already have Village Patriots.

"The hope is that this village festival can be developed, with examples of the benefits of village patriots in collaboration with local champions (local activists) from the village," said Julianto.

According to him, the existence of around 200 Village Patriots in West Java Province in 2023 will have an important role in developing village government. They are expected to be able to improve the strata of the village, make it independent and confident in facing global pressures.

"Whatever the culture, culinary, as an example of the cultural wisdom that exists in Indonesia, that's just the wisdom that exists in Indonesia," he said.

SSPMD Garut Regency, Yudi Kurnia, expressed his gratitude for the JANALOKA Village Festival. He revealed that this event was not only a forum for publication, but also a form of appreciation for the achievements of community empowerment carried out by Patriot Village.

In the JANALOKA Village Festival, said Yudi, there are several events ranging from folk entertainment, MSME bazzar, health checks, and many others.

"We are grateful that finally a village festival was held, to show off what products are produced, what abilities local movers have acquired, we give testimonials at this village festival, giving testimonials about before and after before being accompanied and after," said Yudi.

This Village Festival involves various activities such as folk entertainment, MSME bazaar, and health checks. Yudi hopes that the 11 villages that are the focus of Patriot Village can become inspiration and learning spaces for surrounding villages that have not been touched by the program.

"So in the future, these local movers, who were previously trained, will be able to train ToT (Training of Trainers) people next year," he explained.

In this event, Complete Systematic Land Registration Certificates (PTSL) were handed over to residents of Mekarbakti Village and Gandamekar Village.

Apart from that, awards were handed over to local activists, village heads, and reports on the achievements of Garut Regency Village Patriots to the West Java Province DPMD and Garut Regency DPMD.

Also witnessing the handover moment were the Head of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Garut Regency, Muhammad Rahman, Head of BPJS Employment Garut Regency, Supriatna, Secretary of the Garut Regency DPMD, Erwin Rianto Nugraha, Senior Staff for Village Community Empowerment (SSPMD) Garut Regency, Yudi Kurnia, and other invited guests.