THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-South installed 34 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Binalbagan town Tuesday, December 15.
The new landowners will now own and cultivate some 14 hectares of the agricultural landholdings located in Barangay Bagroy.
Of the number, 14 ARBs will divide the five hectares of the property formerly owned by Glenn Vincent Leonardia, while 11 farmer beneficiaries will share the five hectares of the landholding previously owned by Cecilia Clotilde Leonardia.
The remaining four hectares of the property covered under Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp), formerly owned by Joebert Leonardia, will be divided among nine ARBs.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Gloria Cañonero, who led the installation rites, told the farmer-beneficiaries that DAR-Negros Occidental II has been trying its best despite this pandemic to still deliver its targets and indicators especially under the Land Tenure Security Program to Carp beneficiaries.
Cañonero said that as owners of the awarded lands, the ARBs shall take possession of the land covered by their titles from the time it was awarded to them through a registered certificate of land ownership award (Cloa) and this can only be done through installation.
"You are now reaping the fruits of your hardwork, sacrifices and determination and on behalf of the agency, I am appealing that you must protect your rights over the lands awarded to you and make the most out of it," she also told the ARBs.
Also present during the installation rites were Senior Agrarian Reform Program Technologists Rigil Kent Ortaliz, Monina Sarabia and Joy Galme of DAR Municipal Office in Binalbagan.