The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said a total of 58 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) have finally occupied their government-awarded land in Barangay New Kalibo, M’lang, North Cotabato.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Charish Paña said prior to the installation of the ARBs to the then banana plantation, there were intruders who occupied a portion of the land in the area, thus restraining the entry of the DAR’s identified ARBs or land title holders.
“Because of the intrusion, the DAR was constrained to recommend the issuance of a writ of installation. The activity was another social justice served for our ARBs. Aside from the land given to them, we will ensure that they will also get the support services they need to make their lands productive,” Paña said.
The landholdings were acquired by the DAR through the Compulsory Acquisition Scheme of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), which calls for the redistribution of public and private agricultural lands to farmers and farmworkers who are landless, irrespective of tenurial arrangement.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Oding Yusoph thanked the DAR management for their full support and prompt action in the issuance of the writ of installation.
“We are very happy about this feat for the ARBs and we also appreciate the active collaboration of partner agencies, particularly the barangay governments of New Rizal and New Kalibo for their facilitation in the area as well as the Municipal Police Office of M’lang for providing security assistance,” Yusoph said.