THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Cebu installed 32 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in landholdings formerly owned by the Paz Luna Corp.
The official installation of the ARBs was conducted in a ceremony held at the Panugnawan Activity Center in Panugnawan, Medellin on June 21.
The landholdings were covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in 2000 with a total area of 78.95 hectares.
The agricultural lands are located in Barangays Panugnawan, Medellin, and Dalingding, Daanbantayan, Cebu.
“Through this peaceful installation, we are ensuring that the farmers shall own, possess and actually till the land awarded to them,” said DAR 7 Director Luis B. Bueno Jr.
Bueno said the installation was previously resisted by the landowners themselves as well as by some farmer beneficiaries who were either identified as loyal to the previous owner or who has contracted lease agreement involving their awarded lands.
In his message to the ARBs, Bueno reiterated the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to pursue an “aggressive” land reform program that will help alleviate the life of poor Filipino farmers.
Prior to the installation ceremony, Atty. Alvin Arante of DAR-Cebu Legal Division conducted an orientation for the farmers of their rights, duties, and responsibilities.
He warned the farmers that there are violations that will result to disqualification or cancellation of their land titles issued to them if they failed to do their responsibilities as landowners.
Arante encouraged that farmers to take good care of the land awarded to them and to refrain from doing what is prohibited under the law, like leasing and selling the land.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Elvira B. Bation, in her message, said that giving land titles is not the end of CARP, but it is only the beginning.
In attendance during the installation ceremony were Municipal Mayor of Medellin Joven J. Mondigo Jr., Panugnawan Barangay Captain Juanico Diaz, Assistant Regional Directors Engr. Eliasem Castillo and Atty. Josephus Baterna, Chief Agrarian Reform Program officer Lilian Guanzon, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program officers, DAR-Cebu Sheriff Herman Capule, and DAR-Cebu personnel.