CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (PIA) — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed 912 Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and electronic titles to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in the Cagayan Valley Region. 

Vice President Sara Duterte, Senator Imee Marcos, and DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the distribution of the land titles and machinery in Cauayan City.

Duterte said the distribution of land titles is part of the efforts of the government to uplift the living status of the marginalized farmers and to maintain peace and order in the communities.

“We need to uphold peace in our communities. Let us not support individuals who have bad intentions like terrorists, drug pushers, criminals, and scammers because there will be no progress if there is no peace and order in the community,” the Vice President said. 

As the education secretary, she also urged the people of Cagayan Valley to support the Department of Education’s role of providing quality education in the communities.

Senator Marcos, on her part, said the land reform program in the country was a legacy of her late father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr, through Presidential Decree 27 or the “emancipation of tenants from the bondage of the soil, transferring to them the ownership of the land they till”.

“We thank President Bongbong Marcos and DAR Secretary Estrella because they continued this legacy of distributing land titles to the farmers,” she said. 

The senator also urged her fellow lawmakers to provide additional funds for fertilizer and seed subsidies, and for the distribution of equipment and machinery to agrarian reform beneficiaries to further spur rural development.

Estrella also said the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, through DAR, has fast-tracked the distribution of land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

He said that aside from land titles, the Marcos administration also provided support services to agrarian reform communities like farm-to-market roads, farm machinery, and equipment.

"A total of 80 farm machinery and equipment composed of four-wheel-drive tractors, hand tractors, harvesters, and water pumps were distributed to 23 agrarian reform organizations in this region," he said. 

On infrastructure projects, 18 farm-to-market roads and a bridge with a total cost of P230 million were turned over to local government units and ARB organizations in Isabela. (OTB/MGE/PIA Isabela)