MALIBCONG, Abra (PIA) — More than 500 farmers in the far-flung barangays of Mataragan, Pacgued, and Dulao in Malibcong now have titles of the lands they till after the distribution of 803 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) from the government.
CLOA Distribution Guest of Honor and Speaker Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, in his message read by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Cordillera Assistant Director Virginia Aycud, said that the distribution of CLOAs covering an expansive 315 hectares provides local farmers rightful ownership of the land they cultivate.
“The CLOA distribution symbolizes the commitment of the government to the farmers that they become owners of the lands they till. The distribution of CLOAs in the municipality of Malibcong is a fulfillment of one of the President’s promises to alleviate the plight of Filipino farmers particularly on land ownership,” he stressed.
Bersamin also explained that the distribution of land titles is part of the efforts of the government to promote social justice by empowering our farmers and ensuring food security and economic growth.
Bonifacio Gudayan from Barangay Dulao is happy to finally receive land titles that he can pass down to his children.
“Daytoy titulo nga na-approve, dakkel unay ti panagyaman mi. Ti pagusrak ti dagak ket tapno adda pagap-apitak [Thank you very much for these approved land titles. I will continue to till the land so that I can harvest rice for food and livelihood],” he said.
Martha Lopez, another farmer beneficiary from Barangay Mataragan, is also thankful for the land title and is hoping to submit more lands for titling.
“Mayat daytoy ta adda pagkakitaan ti daga. Nu adda maulit, ipatitulok amin nga dagak ta ada pagsayaatan na ta napaliwanagan dakami [This is good so that we can delineate our lands. If there will be another like this, I will submit my lands for titling because we see the benefits of these since it was explained to us],” she shared.
Bonifacio Gudayan from Barangay Dulao, Malibcong, Abra receives a Cerificate of Land Ownership Award for the farm land he has been tilling. He said he will be giving the land titles to his seven children as inheritance. (Photo by: PIA-Abra)
DAR-Cordillera Assistant Director Aycud said that the distribution of land titles is also the start of various support services such as agricultural machines, training, and scholarships.
Two bridges, the Malanas and Taripan, are already lined up under the recently approved Pang-Agraryong Tulay Para sa Bagong Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka (PBBM) bridges projects to be implemented in the province.
“Ti trabaho ti DAR ket haan lang nga mangiwaras iti titulo no diket manayunan pay ti support services kas kuma daytoy makinarya tapno mas lumaklaka ti panagtalon yo [DAR is not only here to distribute land title but also to provide support services such as agricultural machinery to make farming more efficient],” she explained.
With a total of 537 farmers served in Malibcong, Abra Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Mercedes Borongan said DAR will continue to implement the mandate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen efforts to give farmers ownership of the lands they till and bring government services closer to the people.
Road works to rehabilitate and improve road networks going to Barangays Mataragan, Dulao, and Pacgued continue. Reaching these remote areas have always been challenging passing through rivers, mountains, and a series of landslide-prone areas. (Photo by: PIA-Abra)
After the distribution of CLOAs in Mataragan, the DAR team also went to Barangay Bayabas in the same municipality to distribute 144 land titles to 98 farmer beneficiaries.
The Local Government Unit of Malibcong, through Municipal Executive Secretary Lito Ananaas, thanked DAR for the distribution of land titles and other assistance.
“Tatta laeng nga napasamak daytoy nga pannakaiyawat ti titulo ti daga tayo. Ti maysa a titulo ket ipatawid tayo kadagiti annak tayo [This is the first time that titles were distributed for our lands. We should give these land titles as inheritance to our children],” he said.
Barangays Mataragan, Dualo, Pacgued, and Bayabas are among Malibcong’s remote barangays that have challenging terrains passing through rivers, mountains, and a series of landslide-prone areas. (JJPM, PIA-CAR, Abra)
