The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) began distributing land titles of Hacienda Luisita to qualified beneficiaries, Malacanang said Monday.
The distribution is in line with the government's agrarian reform law that aims to allow farmworker-beneficiaries (FWBs) of Hacienda Luisita to finally receive land titles for the farm lots allocated to them.
In a press briefing, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that a simple ceremony was held where 600 farmer-beneficiaries in Barangay Pando in Tarlac were awarded their Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs).
"The Department of Agrarian Reform has started distributing (land) titles of Hacienda Luisita. Today, almost 600 farmer beneficiaries in Barangay Pando were awarded their Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and there was a short ceremony today," he said.
"The CLOAs represent some 5,800 of 6,200 beneficiaries that have already been registered with the Register of Deeds while more are expected to be registered as beneficiaries come forward to claim their CLOAs," Lacierda added.
According to DAR legal affairs Undersecretary Anthony Parungao, as of September 25, 2013, the CLOAs of about 5,800 qualified FWBs who had signed and filed their Application to Purchase and Farmers Undertaking (APFU) were already generated by DAR and registered with the Register of Deeds.
As of September 25, 2013, only 296 FWBs have yet to claim their Lot Allocation Certificates (LAC), while some 377 FWBs have yet to sign and file their APFUs.
Parungao, however, clarified that the DAR continues to seek out the FWBs who have yet to claim their LACs or file their APFUs.
He noted that a good number of FWBs are either working abroad or living outside of Tarlac, and were thus unable to claim their LACs or sign and file their APFUs.
Parungao further explained that under the law, agrarian reform beneficiaries have to pay amortizations for their CARP-awarded land for a period of 30 years. In the meantime, the Owner’s Duplicate Copy of the CLOAs will be held by the Land Bank of the Philippines. He clarified that what will be distributed to the FWBs of Hacienda Luisita will be the certified true copies of their CLOAs, which, nevertheless, constitute proof of ownership of their CARP-awarded farm lands.
The distribution of CLOAs will begin in Barangay Pando on September 30, to be followed by Barangay Motrico on October 1, and Barangay Lourdes the following day. Distribution resumes on October 8 at Parang, then Mabilog (October 9) and Bantog (October 10). The following week, DAR will distribute CLOAs in the four remaining barangays: Cutcut (October 15), Asturias (October 16), Balete (October 17), and Mapalacsiao (October 18). (SDR/Sunnex)