THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Occidental-North has installed 40 farmers in the northern portion of the province amid the prevailing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
On June 5, 11 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Barangay Bug-ang in Toboso town were installed in a ceremony while observing the minimum health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Health (DOH).
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Jasmin Castillo, in her message, told farmers to make the land productive in order to achieve economic stability.
Castillo urged them to be responsible for paying the annual land tax and other amortizations.
A total of 4.1350 hectares were distributed to the ARBs involving the landholding previously managed by M&L Agricultural Industrial Corporation.
The land acquisition and distribution is one of the mandates of the DAR through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extended Reforms (Carper).
On June 2, 29 ARBs were installed at about 34-hectare land at Barangay 13 in Victorias City.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ma. Jade Sollesta, who led the ceremony, told the farmer-beneficiaries to cultivate the land awarded to them and make it an instrument to improve their lives.
She also urged them to pay the land tax on time as well as their amortizations.
The farmers were installed on the landholding previously owned by Ben-Jam Agro Development Corporation.
"The installation is just a manifestation that even in the global pandemic, the agency is still performing its duties in serving the Filipino people," DAR-Negros Occidental I said.