THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental - North has installed 43 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in E.B. Magalona town on Wednesday, February 5.

Of the total 18.0811 hectares distributed, 2.5352 hectares located in Hacienda Clarita, Barangay Nanca are landholdings previously managed by Reeda Bantug.

The remaining 15.5459 hectares are situated in Barangay San Jose, which are formerly owned by Jeslor Agro-Industrial Corporation.

Municipal Agrarian Reform program officer Tessie Pedrosa, who spoke at installation rites, reminded the farmer-beneficiaries of their rights and obligations as new landowners including the payment of taxes on time.

For his part, E.B. Magalona Vice Mayor Eric Matulac said such program of the government gives hope for the farmers to have a better and greener future.

DAR-Negros Occidental North, in a statement said, the installation is one of the preliminary activities of the agency under its Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension with Refroms (Carper).

The agency is mandated to redistribute government and private agricultural lands to landless farmers and farmworkers while ensuring land security and social equity as well as providing them with the necessary productive resources needed to ensure their economic viability and productivity.

It also covers all tenanted agricultural lands such as those in the retained areas, not yet acquired for distribution under Carp, and those which may be validly covered under existing laws, it added.