OVER 30 hectares were distributed to 29 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in a series of Certificate of Land Ownership Award (Cloa) distribution held in Victorias City recently.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ma. Jade Sollesta, who led the onsite ceremony, urged farmers to cultivate the awarded land and use it to improve their lives.
"You must also remember your responsibilities to pay the land tax and amortizations on time," she added.
The activity involved the landholding formerly owned by Nora Lopez with an aggregate area of 30.4420 hectares located in Barangay 14 in the northern Negros Occidental locality.
It was conducted through the Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) process under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper).
Under which, 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 on 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.
"Such continuous field activities conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) are evidence that despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the service for the Filipino people lives on," the agency said.
It added that with Negros Occidental still under the Modified General Community Quarantine, the activity complied with minimum health protocols.
Meanwhile, 54 potential ARBs in Sagay City took oath and signed the Application to Purchase and Farmer's Undertaking as they qualify for the screening process to become land recipients.
Farmers of the landholding with an area of 36.1550 hectares swore before Judge Beina Marieta Cabusao at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in the said city.
The landholding under the name of Elisa Montinola VDA de Jison, among others, is located at Barangay Rizal.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program OfficerJessan Saquian, in his message, said the oath-taking ceremony is the start of fulfilling the farmers' dreams.
"We hope that you may never forget the responsibility that comes with it," Saquian told the farmers, adding that "you are now one step closer to becoming the new landowners of the land."
The activity is one of the preliminary activities of the DAR to acquire land under Carper.
The activity also complied with health and safety measures set in light of Covid-19 threat.
The DAR said it is the lead government agency that holds and implements comprehensive and genuine agrarian reform which actualizes equitable land distribution, ownership, agricultural productivity, and tenurial security for farmers.