263 people in C. Luzon who were helped by agrarian reform get land titles

DT | 263 people in C. Luzon who were helped by agrarian reform get land titles | CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Monday distributed certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) and emancipation patents to 263 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in five provinces of Central Luzon.

DAR Regional Director James Arsenio O. Ponce, attorney Luis Meinrado C. Pagulayan, DAR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research Office (PPRO), and other agrarian reform officials oversaw the distribution of titles to ARBs from the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.

A total of 114 ARBs from Tarlac and Nueva Ecija received EPs and CLOAs during the event held at the Capitol Center Function Hall in San Vicente, Tarlac City, totaling 131 land titles covering more than 78 hectares of land.

In contrast, 149 ARBs in Bataan, Bulacan, and Pampanga were given a total of 170 titles, each of which included about 100 hectares of land.

According to Ponce, the initiatives follow President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s order to step up the distribution of land titles.

In an interview on Tuesday, he stated, “We are trying our best to expedite the transfer of lands as directed by Secretary Conrado Estrella III.

Insisting that the DAR would continue to support the ARBs, he pointed out that the Marcos government gave priority to programs and services for farmers.

“The DAR’s intervention does not end with the distribution of land titles to the ARBs, but will continue to provide support services that will further improve their living conditions,” he added.

The recipients gave the DAR lands and assistance as a token of gratitude.

Simeon Edroso, an 86-year-old beneficiary of the agrarian reform program from Hermosa, Bataan, said the land title is crucial to him since it serves as legal documentation showing he is now the sole owner of the property.

I am grateful to the government, through DAR, for granting us the titles, he said, adding, “Maligaya at nagpapasalamat ako sa gobyerno, sa pamamagitan ng DAR.” (via PNA)