President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. fulfilled on Monday one of his campaign promises — to provide Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and land titles to nearly 4,000 farmers in Central Visayas.
In his speech during the CLOA and land title distribution in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, President Marcos said 3,855 CLOAs and land titles covering around 2,867 hectares of land were distributed to farmers in Region 7.
“Alam naman po namin na marami po sa inyo ay matagal nang nangangarap at nagsisikap upang magkaroon ng sariling lupa para sa inyong hanapbuhay. Eto na po at tinutupad po natin ang pangarap ninyo,” President Marcos said.
“Ito po ay simbulo ng taus-pusong pasasalamat ng sambayanang Pilipino para sa inyong walang sawang pagsisikap at katatagan sa pagsasaka sa ilalim ng init ng araw, sa gitna ng masamang panahon, at sa harap ng maraming pagsubok,” he added.
The President said the distribution of CLOAs and land titles also showed the administration’s affirmation to strengthen farmers’ rights and protect their welfare as stated under Republic Act 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.
President Marcos said the New Agrarian Emancipation Act will free Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from their debts.
In Region 7, President Marcos said the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has already provided 4,614 hectares of land this year.
The DAR has already distributed a total of 15,163 hectares of land to 9,549 ARBs nationwide. The figure is more than 65 percent of the annual target of 23,216 hectares of land to be distributed this year.
President Marcos said there are still a lot of farm lands to be distributed in Central Visayas and in the whole country.
“Ito ay patunay ng ating patuloy at walang humpay na pagsisikap na tuparin ang aming pangako na kukumpletuhin namin ang repormang agrarian dito sa ating minamahal na Pilpinas,” the Chief Executive told thousands of ARBs.
Aside from distributing the CLOAs and land titles, President Marcos also distributed PhP17.5 million in agrarian equipment to around 3,268 beneficiaries in Central Visayas.
“Ang mekanisasyon, ang pagbibigay ng ating mga gamit, itong mga traktor, itong mga processing, dryer [at] kung anu-ano pang mga kailangan ng ating mga magsasaska. Ito ay makabagong irigasyon at patuloy pa rin [ang] [pag]papalawak ng irigasyon. Ang mga ito ay susi sa pagpapa-unlad ng ating mga sakahan. Mas mapabibilis po itong inyong mga gawain at mas mapapaunlad nito ang lupang inyong sinasaka,” President Marcos said. |PND
