PORAC -- Mayor Condralito Dela Cruz assured Monday that the distribution of land titles for those in Barangay Hacienda Dolores is ongoing as 44 locals received their land titles recently as part of real estate developer Leonio Land's title donation program.
Dela Cruz told Sun.Star Pampanga that they are coordinating with beneficiaries and Leonio Land to ensure that everything is done efficiently for the beneficiaries. Dela Cruz added that they are coordinating for more livelihood programs for the beneficiaries to help them put up various sources of income.
The program, which forms part of Leonio Land’s corporate social responsibility activities, will benefit about 600 households consisting of an estimated 3,000 informal settlers in Barangay Dolores, including the lots of the Dolores Elementary School and church. Roughly 27 hectares of land owned by the company, with an average lot size of 372 square meters per family, will be donated.
In an earlier report, Leonio Land said that it is donating titles of land where the settlers’ houses are currently situated, assuring the community in Barangay Dolores that they will not be displaced. As of October last year, over 150 land titles have already been processed.
The distribution of 44 new land titles was attended by Dela Cruz and Vice-Mayor Dexter David.
It can be recalled that some members of the Aniban ng Nakakaisang Mamamayan ng Hacienda Dolores (Aniban) from Barangay Hacienda Dolores are protesting the 700-hectare contested land allegedly owned by the corporations inside the village. Last year's protests even resulted in injuries and a death that prompted both parties to file charges in court.
Meanwhile, Dela Cruz said that recently, residents in Barangay Hacienda Dolores completed the livelihood and skills training program conducted by I-Serve Inc. in partnership with the Porac Manpower Training Center. The beneficiaries learned skills needed for peanut processing as a means of livelihood.
"We are proud to have these new batch of graduates who can now start their own business as a cooperative or individually," Dela Cruz said.
Dela Cruz said more people from Hacienda Dolores may participate in training programs of the Porac Manpower Training Center.