THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will distribute 4,729 hectares of agricultural land to 4,754 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Occidental Tuesday, February 8, 2022.

The land to be distributed covers 17 municipalities and cities in the province.

These are the cities of Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Talisay, Victorias, Bago, Himamaylan and Sipalay, and towns of Toboso, Binalbagan, Cauayan, Hinigaran, Ilog, Isabela, La Castellana, Moises Padilla and Pontevedra.

DAR Secretary Bernie Cruz will lead the distribution of 8,259 certificates of land ownership award (Cloas) to farmer-beneficiaries in Barangay 2, Sipalay City.

DAR-Western Visayas Regional Director Sheila Enciso, in a statement Monday, said of the areas, 3,034 hectares will be distributed to 2,830 farmer-beneficiaries in the southern part of the province.

Some 1,924 ARBs, on the other hand, will share the 1,694 hectares of agricultural lands in the northern portion of the province.

“The distribution of thousands hectares of lands in Negros Occidental is evidence that Secretary Bernie Cruz is true to his words that he will continue to bring progress to our farmer-beneficiaries by giving their needs, expediting distribution of Cloas and provision of support services,” she said.

Cruz earlier pledged that under his leadership, the agency would double its effort to distribute all the remaining undistributed lands to the landless farmers, provide support services, and bring social justice in agrarian reform communities.

Assistant Regional Director Lucrecia Taberna, DAR-Negros Occidental II Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Arnulfo Figueroa, DAR-Negros Occidental I Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Teresita Mabunay, and other top officials of both provincial offices are expected to attend the activity. (With reports from DAR-NegOcc II)