Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John R. Castriciones has recently led the distribution of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs), agricultural equipment, and farm productivity assistance to farmers in San Narciso, Quezon.
In a news statement, the DAR chief said the CLOA distribution marks the culmination of the decade-long anticipation by the rightful beneficiaries to own the lands they are cultivating for years.
A total of 605 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) received their CLOAs from DAR covering 925.1367 hectares of agricultural land in the said town.
The land titles distributed to farmers have gone through tedious legal battles, as in the case of the Lingayo property, where the farmers experienced challenging struggles. Their case even reached judicial proceedings and was decided upon by the Supreme Court before land acquisition and distribution process resumed.
“We promise to give you support services like farm machinery, access to credit and various trainings to help you sustain the gains that you will reap from this land, which now, legally, are your own property,” Castriciones stressed.
Castriciones also vowed to provide housing projects for farmers, provision of crop insurance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) and Accessible Funds for Delivery to ARBs (AFFORD-ARBs) credit assistance from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
During the event, the DAR also distributed farm machinery and equipment under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project worth P789,800 to boost farmers’ household income by modernizing their farming through the provision of new equipment.
The farm machinery includes rice reaper, rice thresher, hand tractor with complete implements and trailer, pressurized power sprayer and water pump.
The co-op members also received farm inputs worth P54,000 in recognition of the role of farmers as the modern hero of today’s war against the pandemic, by continually providing food to every household and contributing to food security and sufficiency in the country.
Castriciones emphasized that the DAR will intensify CLOA distribution and the provision of support services to the ARBs in the country to support the thrust of the administration of President Duterte to emancipate farmers from the bondage of soil.
As part of the “Serbisyong DAR-to-DOOR” Castriciones personally handed over the land titles to the ARBs, who live near the venue of the event to ensure that they themselves would receive their CLOAs.
Among those who personally received their land titles were Loreta A. de Jesus, Rodolfo A. de Jesus, Orlando A. de Jesus and Rodrigo A de Jesus from Barangay Abuyon, San Narciso, Quezon.
Other DAR officials who graced the event were DAR Undersecretaries for Field Operations Atty. David D. Erro; Atty. Emily O. Padilla of Support Services; Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Atty. Elmer N. Distor; Calabarzon Regional Director Rene E. Colocar; San Narciso Municipal Mayor Florabelle U. Uy-Yap; Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Engr. Cornelio P. Villapando; External Affairs and Relations Service Director Cupido Gerry D. Asuncion; Legal Service Director Atty. Marvin V. Bernal; Provincial Agrarian Reform Adjudicator Atty. Robert Anthony P. Yu; and Public Assistance and Media Relations Service Director Cleon Lester G. Chavez.
