THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-North has distributed a total of 38 hectares of land to farmer-beneficiaries in Manapla and Escalante City recently.
In Manapla, over 32 hectares were distributed to 68 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in a certificate of land ownership award (Cloa) distribution and installation rites on May 5.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Myrna Omaliao, who spoke at the activity, explained to the farmers their tax duties and other responsibilities as ARBs.
Omaliao urged farmer-beneficiaries to strive in cultivating their land in order to attain a bountiful harvest and economic stability, as she warned them not to engage in any illegal land transactions.
The distributed landholding was formerly owned by Jose Alfonso Garcia. With a designated area of 32.9015 hectares, it is located in Barangay Purisima.
In Escalante City, the agency distributed over six hectares of land to 14 ARBs in another distribution and installation rites held on April 27.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Maritess Resano, who led the activity, said the land given by the government is hoped to improve the lives of the farmers and their families.
“We sincerely understand your laborious farming responsibilities thus, this ceremony is about honoring you and your hard work,” she told farmer-beneficiaries.
Resano also urged ARBs not to engage in any form of a lease contract, and to make sure to fulfill your tax obligations and amortizations as proprietors of the land.
The landholding formerly owned by Leonor Javier with a designated area of 6.3781 hectares is located in Barangay Pinapugasan.
Like that in Manapla, the activity was also conducted through the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) process under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (Carper).
Under the program, 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 accumulated 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.
DAR-Negros Occidental I, in a statement, said such continuous field activities conducted by the agency show that despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the delivery of service to the Filipino people continues.
With Negros Occidental still under the Modified General Community Quarantine, the activities have complied with minimum health protocols set by authorities, it added.