Farmer from Barangay San Luis, Antipolo City, during the granting of Certificates of Land Ownership Award by DAR in March 2024. (FILE PHOTO/MBL/PIA-Rizal)
QUEZON CITY (PIA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Calabarzon reminded agrarian reform beneficiaries not to sell their acquired lands to safeguard the validity and primary benefits of their Certificates of Land Ownership Award.
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas episode on June 25, DAR Assistant Secretary and Concurrent Regional Director for Calabarzon, McDonald Galit, mentioned that there is a prohibitory period during which agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) are not allowed to sell or transfer the lands granted to them. This measure ensures that the lands are utilized for agricultural purposes and prevents the premature sale of agricultural lands.
“We have a prohibitory period during which they cannot sell the land. If they do, it will lead to a disqualification case for the ARB,” he said.
Republic Act No. 6657, also known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, prohibits the sale or lease of lands covered by the CLOA for at least 10 years after the grant.
By enforcing this prohibitory period, DAR aims to promote long-term agricultural productivity and economic stability for the beneficiaries and their communities. Violating this period can result in legal actions and the possible revocation of the land title awarded to the ARB.
“When the sale occurs within the prohibitory period, it is void, and the current ARB will be disqualified. We will then look for another qualified ARB to grant the land,” Galit explained.
The director emphasized that the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has mandated their office to enhance the provision of support services to ARBs to help them develop the lands awarded to them. This aims to ensure that ARBs are equipped with the necessary resources and assistance to maximize the productivity and sustainability of their farms.
“We at DAR are imploring the ARBs. You can see the love of our dear President. We are just asking the farmers to take care of their lands because this is proof that the lands are yours,” he said.
Meanwhile, DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Office Rowena Niña Taduran assures farmers that there are training and seminars in place to ensure that they become self-sufficient and competitive farmers and that President Marcos Jr. has shown his commitment to the development of the sector.
“Training and seminars for their skills are implemented so that we can empower the farmers to become self-sufficient in the future. We also help them become partners with DepEd, the BJMP, PNP, and AFP, especially in marketing, because not everything ends with training and seminars,” she stated.
DAR reported that 15,725 agrarian reform beneficiaries were validated to receive a certificate of condonation, which covers 22,000 hectares of farmlands in Calabarzon. (AM/PIA-4A)
