PAGADIAN CITY (PIA) – More than 2,000 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Zamboanga del Sur received land titles, Certificates of Condonation, mortgage releases, and farm machinery and equipment on Friday, December 13.
Senator Imee R. Marcos led the distribution, in partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-9.
The ARBs expressed gratitude to the administration for granting them land titles. Bernardo Coloban, an ARB from the municipality of Lapuyan, finally received his title after waiting for 13 years.
“Dako kaayu mig pasalamat sa gobyerno sa nadawat namo nga titulo. Salamat kaayu ni (President) Marcos sa iyang patabang sa amo-a,” Coloban said.
(We are very grateful to the government for the title we received. Thank you so much to President Marcos for helping us.)
Another beneficiary expressed his joy. “Dako akong kalipay na nakadawat sa land title nga gikan sa DAR. Nagpasalamat ko ilabina sa atong Presidente Bongbong Marcos nga gihatag niya ang yuta nga wala nay bayad,” said Aguinaldo Dadan.
(I am very happy to receive the land title from DAR. I am especially grateful to our President Bongbong Marcos, for granting the land, free of charge.)
Assisted by the local chief executives of Zamboanga del Sur, Senator Imee Marcos and the DAR distributed over 2,400 Certificates of Regular Titles, Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCRoM), and E-Titles under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Project SPLIT).
Covering a total of 2,790.9 hectares, these were distributed to 2,088 ARBs in the province. The condoned amount totals more than P88 Million.
Moreover, nine units of farm machinery and equipment and one processing center, valued at P4,008,643, were turned over to 17 ARB Organization Representatives under the ARB Development and Sustainability Program.
In her message, Senator Imee pledged to continue supporting the farmers in the province through collaboration with local government units.
“Sa wakas wala nang utang ang ating mga mag-uuma. Kahit may titulo na, kailangan tulungan pa rin (At last, our farmers are now debt-free. Even though they have titles, they still need support) to make sure that they can profit and be productive,” she said.
This activity signifies the government’s dedication to supporting farmers and advancing agriculture in the province of Zamboanga del Sur under the banner of ‘Bagong Pilipinas’. (EDT/CCP/PIA9)
