THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently distributed the certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to 77 farmers from six towns in Iloilo province.
The awardees include widows of two original farmer-beneficiaries who died years before the much-awaited land distribution.
The distribution process sometimes takes decades, especially when the land being distributed is privately owned and whose owners are contesting the coverage of their lands.
Director Leomides R. Villareal of the Public Assistance and Media Relations Service (PAMRS) of the DAR Central Office led the distribution of the CLOAs during a simple ceremony held in Barangay Pulo Maestra Vita, Oton, Iloilo, on Wednesday.
CLOAs are land titles and proof of ownership of land-transfer program awardees under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
DAR Assistant Regional Director Florentino D. Siladan of DAR Region 6 and OIC PARPO II Sally A. Ortega of DAR Iloilo province and representatives from the local government of Oton were also present during the event.
In a message during the distribution, Villareal said the land-distribution is “a gift for you by the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.” He also conveyed to the agrarian-reform beneficiaries (ARBs) the marching order of newly appointed DAR Acting Secretary John Castriciones, “to serve the poor farmers and implement as a team the programs and services of the agency.”
This is the second CLOA distribution under Castriociones following his appointment last month.
Eladio Marmolejo, 75, from Oton, Iloilo, was among the farmer-beneficiaries who received his CLOA.
Two widowed mothers were also present during the distribution ceremony to receive the land titles on behalf of their husbands who died years before the CLOAs were finally distributed.
Rosena Malco, 74, one of the widows, said her husband died in 1999, but she is happy their years of struggle for land ownership are already over.
The distribution covered a total land area of 70.809 hectares in the towns of Oton, Dingle, Duenas, Pototan, San Dionisio, Lambunao and Passi City.
About 97 CLOAs were distributed to the ARBs.
Siladan reminded the ARBs on their obligations at the Land Bank of the Philippines. He also told the ARBs not to sell or mortgage their lands.