President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. leads the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Central Visayas. (Screengrab from RTVM)
QUEZON CITY, (PIA) – President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday, May 20, announced that a total of 15,163 hectares of land were already distributed to 9,549 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) across the country.
The said figure accounts for 65 percent of the annual target of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) out of the 23,216 hectares of land whose ownership are projected to be transferred among Filipino farmers.
“Sa ating paglipat ng pagmamay-ari ng mga lupaing ito sa inyong mga kamay, muli nating pinagtibay ang ating pangako na itataguyod ang karapatan at kapakanan ng ating magsasaka at manggagawa na ating sinimulan sa paglagda ng Republic Act No. 11953 o ang tinatawag na New Agrarian Emancipation Act,” said President Marcos during the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Central Visayas.
(By transferring the ownership of these lands in your hands, we are strengthening the promise of advancing the rights and welfare of our farmers and labor force that we started following the signing of Republic Act No. 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.)
It can be recalled that the New Agrarian Emancipation Act was signed into law in July 2023 to support the industry of farmers, an essential pillar of the food production sector, by lessening the burden brought on by their financial obligations to their lands.
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“Ito po ay simbolo ng taos-pusong pasasalamat ng sambayanang Pilipino para sa inyong walang sawang pagsisikap at katatagan sa pagsasaka sa ilalim ng init ng araw, sa gitna ng masamang panahon, at sa harap ng maraming pagsubok,” Marcos added.
(This is a symbol of the Filipino nation’s wholehearted gratitude to your tireless efforts and resilience in farming under the scorching heat of the sun, amidst extreme weather conditions, and in face of many adversities.)
Apart from expediting the distribution of land titles, the president also directed the DAR to closely work with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to integrate efforts to provide the necessary support to farmers, especially in terms of social amelioration and livelihood programs.
“Ang mga ito ay hindi lamang para sa pagpapataas ng inyong ani. Ito rin ay naglalayong paghusayin ang kalidad ng inyong buhay,” said Marcos, highlighting the pivotal role of farmers in the achievement of food security.
(These are not only for increasing your yields. These also aim to uplift the quality of your lives.)
A total of 3,855 ARBs received a CLOAs which equate to 2,867 hectares of land that were distributed in Region 7 (Central Visayas) under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling Project (SPLIT). ARB organizations in the region were also able to receive farm machinery and equipment including four-wheeled tractors and food dehydrators amounting to P7.3 million.
On the other hand, President Marcos led the distribution of 5,400 electronic titles under the Project SPLIT and 38 CLOAs to farmers in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas). These meanwhile equate to 7,914 hectares of land. The said initiative will be complemented by support services interventions, particularly the establishment of farm-to-market roads and Pang-Agraryong Tulay para sa Bagong Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka (PBBM Bridges). (JMP/PIA-NCR)
