Recognizing the urgency of providing farmlands to landless farmers in the country, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sees the need for the land reform program of the government to be completed under his term.
Landless farmers have waited long enough to benefit from the program and they deserve to finally have the lands they could call their own, President Marcos said during the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) and land titles to nearly 4,000 farmers in Central Visayas on Monday.
The Chief Executive pointed out the program was initiated many years ago by the government led by his father former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
“Nagsimula ito noong panahon [na ang] pangulo ay ang aking ama. Nagsimula ito noong ang lolo ni Secretary Conrad Estrella ay Secretary ng DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform). Sila ang nagsimula nitong lahat,” he narrated.
“Kaya’t noong kami ay umupo, bilang Secretary, bilang Pangulo ay nagtataka kami, 30 taon na nag-aantay ang mga tao, umabot na nga sa 101 years ang ating pinakamasigasig, pinamalakas na magsasaka na hanggang ngayon nag-aanatay pa,” he explained.
“Kako naman, mumultuhin tayo ng lolo mo (Secretary Estrella Sr.) at saka ng tatay ko (former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.) pagka hindi natin ginawa ito. Dahil ito ay isa sa una na ginawa, isa sa una na instruction na binigay, ito ang isa sa una na ginawa ng administrasyon, ‘yung unang adminisrtasyong Marcos. Kaya’t siguro naman, ay sabi ko karapat-dapat lang ito ay dapat tapusin sa pangalawang administrasyon na Marcos,” he added.
President Marcos Jr. distributed Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and land titles to nearly 4,000 farmers in Central Visayas. He 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
