PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed electronic land titles (e-titles) and certificates of land ownership awards (CLOA) to 2,047 recipients in Palawan.
Around 1,950 e-titles were under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project, covering about 3,942.9 hectares and benefiting 1,907 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs). There are also 126 CLOA awarded to 140 landless farmers in the towns of Narra, Aborlan, Roxas, and the city of Puerto Princesa.
Sec. Conrado Estrella III joined the awarding on Thursday and underscored the need for land for the security of food supply through local farmers.
“Wala na kayong babayaran, libre na ‘yan, inyo na ang titulo ng lupa,” he said.
[You have nothing to pay, those are free; the land titles are yours.]
The SPLIT project started in 2021 under World Bank financing and benefited the towns of Sofronio Española, Roxas, Quezon, Nara, El Nido, Dumaran, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Balabac, Araceli, Aborlan, and Puerto Princesa City.
Sec. Conrado Estrella III joins the awarding on Thursday at Provincial Capitol. (Photo by Rachel Ganancial)
Aside from titles, DAR also distributed farm machinery and equipment. The organizations of Bano-Bano Gintong Butil MPC and Malalong Binasbas Agriculture Cooperative in the province received one unit of trailer, tractor, and hauling trucks.
“Dahil sa inyong pagod at sakripisyo, ’yan ang dahilan kung bakit ang mga Pilipino ay may kinakain hanggang ngayon. Kung hindi na kayo magtatanim, wala ng kakain na Pilipino,” he said.
[Because of your sacrifices, that is the reason why Filipinos have something to eat today. If you will no longer plant, Filipinos have nothing to eat.]
The distribution of land titles also aims to address land tenure issues in Palawan. The department also brought its Lawyers to Benepisyaryo program to assist farmers with legal assistance.
The next distribution from the department will be the Certificate of Condonation and Release of Mortgage, Estrella added.
The Register of Deeds of Puerto Princesa and Palawan also acknowledged and confirmed the registration of CLOA titles and e-titles under the SPLIT Project.
Some of the recipients of e-titles in the province of Palawan (Photo by Rachel Ganancial)
Edwin Acoy, one of the beneficiaries, expressed a commitment to utilize the land and fulfill tax duties on the land received from the program.
“Ito ay ating iingatan at hindi natin ipagbibili. Pagyamanin at patuloy natin pangalagaan, bigyan ng pansin ang ating obligasyon bilang isang nakatanggap ng pagmamay-ari ng lupa, taunang buwis,” he said.
[We will protect these, and we will not sell the land. Enrich it, and let's continue to conserve it; give attention to our obligation as beneficiaries of land distribution, the annual tax.] (RG/PIA Mimaropa - Palawan)
