ILOILO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 6 is confident it will achieve the full distribution of land under its agrarian reform program, with only 8.34 percent remaining, by 2028.
DAR 6 director lawyer Sheila Enciso reported that 38,997 hectares are left to be distributed to qualified farmers.
Enciso highlighted the urgency and commitment to complete the program within the term of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. during an episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas.
“Doon po sa panawagan, at hiling ng ating Pangulo, sinasabi niya na kailangan matapos ang programang ito sa loob ng kanyang panunungkulan,” Enciso stated.
(This is with regard to the call and request of our President that this program must be completed within his term of office.)
“We in the DAR are with the president that we will finish the distribution and documentation of the remaining 38,000 hectares of agricultural lands so that we can distribute them to the agrarian reform farmer beneficiaries,” she added.
Based on data, a total of 16,764 hectares were distributed to 17,999 ARBs under the Marcos administration as of June 2024.
“Kayang kaya ito basta sama-sama (We can accomplish this as long as there’s unity),” Enciso said which also underscores the line as her leadership battlecry.
The Department has already distributed 428,418 hectares in total, benefiting 271,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the region.
Negros Occidental has the largest land area left for distribution with 28,144 hectares, followed by Capiz with 5,719 hectares, Iloilo with 4,752 hectares, Guimaras with 297 hectares, Antique with 45 hectares, and Aklan with 40 hectares.
The agrarian reform program began in 1972 thru Presidential Decree 27 under former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and continued with the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 9700, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms Law. (AAL/ED/PIA 6)
