PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. aims to distribute additional land titles to eligible farmers before the end of his administration, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the welfare of Filipino farmers.
During a ceremony at the Rizal Memorial College Gym in Davao City on February 7, 2024, Marcos distributed Land Electronic Titles (E-Titles) to more than 2,600 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Davao Region.
Having served as Agriculture Secretary at the beginning of his term in 2022, the President pledged to enhance programs and services for farmers, reaffirming the administration's commitment to bolster the agricultural sector.
Marcos said, “It is my goal to complete the distribution of all lands covered by the [Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program] before the end of my term... Giving title to our farmers is only the first step in achieving their freedom from poverty.”
Previously awarded Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) recipients, the ARBs are expected to double by the end of the year, according to Marcos.
The distribution of e-titles is part of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, enhancing land tenure security and property rights for ARBs under the New Agrarian Emancipation Act signed last year.
The President highlighted that the government would no longer charge the debts of over 600,000 ARBs due to the signed law.
He also assured ongoing support for farmers, extending beyond land title distribution, including improvements in agricultural infrastructure, machinery, and farm-to-market roads.
In 2023, more than 90,000 e-titles were distributed to farmers across the country.
The distribution event included the presence of Vice President Sara Duterte, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr., DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Leo Tereso Magno, and other Cabinet members. RGL