THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-North has awarded 21.1138 hectares of land to 40 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in a certificate of land ownership award (Cloa) distribution and installation rites held in Cadiz City recently.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Zayda Carinal, who led the activity, said the agency has helped farmers with their right to acquire the land.
"We hope that you may never forget the responsibility that comes with
it," she told the farmer-beneficiaries.
The activity involves the landholding formerly owned by Carmen Consing located in Barangay Andres Bonifacio in the northern Negros Occidental locality.
DAR-Negros Occidental I said the 21-hectare land was distributed by the DAR through land acquisition and distribution under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper).
Under the program's mandate, public and private agricultural landholdings are acquired by the government to be distributed to tenants, farmers, farmworkers and other tillers who are qualified to become ARBs.
This is in the form of Cloas covering one contiguous tract or several parcels of land cumulated up to a maximum of three hectares per ARB.
"This is anchored to the agency's aim to provide lands to landless farmers and farmworkers, guarantee the farmers' land security, deliver social equity, and provide them with the necessary productive resources needed to ensure their economic viability and productivity," it added.
Meanwhile, 14 potential ARBs recently took oath and signed the application to purchase and farmer's undertaking (APFU) as they qualify for the screening process to become land recipients.
Farmers of the landholdings with an area of 8.7506 hectares swore in before Judge Jose Meno Ruiz at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Escalante City.
The landholding was under the name of Perla Liboon Treyes and located in Barangay Tamlang in Escalante City.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Maritess Resano, during the ceremony, assured that the DAR will make sure that farmer-beneficiaries will receive the services they truly deserve.
"This oath-taking ceremony is the start of fulfilling your dreams. We hope that you may never forget your future obligations," Resano told farmers.
This is one of the preliminary activities of the DAR to acquire land under Carper, she added.
With Negros Occidental still under the Modified General Community Quarantine, the activities have complied with the minimum health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Department of Health.