THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-South has installed 30 farmers at Barangay Ma-ao in Bago City.

The recipient-agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) will share the 7.32-hectare landholding formerly owned by Jose Ma. Fuentes III.

The land was covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) through compulsory acquisition.

Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Josefina Rodrigo, who led the installation rites on Wednesday, October 17, reminded the farmers of their rights and obligations as new landowners.

Under Carp, the farmer-beneficiaries should pay their annual tax amortizations and land taxes to the Land Bank of the Philippines and local government, respectively.

Rodrigo encouraged farmers to organize themselves into cooperatives in order to avail various support services from the DAR and other government agencies.

For the agrarian department, among the support it provides include credit assistance, farm machinery, free agrarian legal advice, and consultation to farmers who have land problems.

He also urged farmer-beneficiaries to protect and defend their rights over the land by refraining from engaging in illegal activities like "ariendo" or leasing of land.