SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro (PIA) — Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Coron and Busuanga, Palawan thanked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the land they received.
President Marcos spearheaded the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) and electronic titles to 1,217 ARBs cultivating the land without titles in a ceremony held in Coron, Palawan on September 19.
John Michael Norbe, a native of the Tagbanua Indigenous community in Busuanga, expressed his gratitude to President Marcos for his ceaseless support to the farmers like him.
“Nais ko pong ipahayag ang aking taos-pusong pasasalamat sa ating Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa walang sawang suporta at pagkalinga sa mga magsasakang katulad namin,” Norbe said.
He added that through the Agrarian Reform Program of the DAR, he was given an opportunity to secure a brighter future for his family and vowed to do his best to maximize the utilization of his land.
Joey Zabalo, a 49-year old farmer waited for many years before finally securing the title of the land he had tilled for a long time. He said this is a huge leap in his livelihood as a farmer.
“Masaya [ako] na magkakaroon ng sariling lupa, mayroong titulo. Bilang isang magsasaka, napakalaking tulong niyan. Ilang pangulo na ang lumipas, dito sa Pangulong Marcos eh maraming-maraming salamat sa biyayang pinagkaloob sa aming mga magsasaka,” Zabalo shared.
(I am happy to have my land, with a title. As a farmer, this is a huge help. Many presidents have passed, and I thank President Marcos for the blessing he gave us farmers.)
As an agricultural graduate, financial burdens and having limited resources such as land and irrigation were some of the problems Abegail Lagrada and her family faced. Now that she has received the title for their land, she eyes on developing the area to boost their livelihood.
President Marcos acknowledged the ARBs’ hard work saying, “Ito po ay patunay na ang lupang inyong pinaghirapan ay sa wakas, naging pag-aari na ninyo yang lupang yan.”
The President also underscored that the administration is working tirelessly to uplift the lives of the farmers.
“Ang lahat ng ginagawa natin ay naglalayong tiyakin na ang bawat metro ng lupa ay magsisilbing pundasyon ng isang mas maunlad at mas maaliwalas na kinabukasan para sa ating mga magsasaka. Isang kinabukasang puno ng katiyakan, seguridad at pagkakataong umunlad hindi lamang sa sakahan kundi sa bawat aspeto ng buhay,” President Marcos said. (DSG/PIA MIMAROPA-Occidental Mindoro)
