THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said it has distributed a total of 1,153 hectares of government-owned land to 849 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) last week.
DAR Secretary Bernie F. Cruz led the distribution of the certificate of land ownership awards during simple rites last June 3. The distribution came after President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) 75 (Series of 2019) on February 1, 2019, subjecting the government-owned land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
“When you become a CARP beneficiary, you have to pay a specified amount for land amortization,” Cruz said. “But if you are a beneficiary of EO 75, it’s free; you don’t have to pay even a single cent.”
Cruz disclosed that the CLOAs were expedited to help farmers of Siargao get back on their feet after Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) ravaged their farms.
After EO 75 was issued, Task Force Agrarian Siargao-Dinagat, headed by DAR Undersecretary David D. Erro, was created. The task force identified the government-owned lands suitable for agriculture in the municipalities of Burgos, Del Carmen, Gen. Luna, San Isidro, Pilar and Socorro.