The Department of Agrarian Reform distributed some 207 hectares of land to beneficiaries of various landholdings in four separate rites in Negros Occidental this week.
The DAR-Negros Occidental I, that covers the northern part of the province, said yesterday that it awarded titles to 80 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) who are now the owners of the 62.24 hectares formerly owned by Hector Lacson in Barangay Cadiz Viejo, Cadiz City.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program officer Rodrigo Jose Villaluna led the distribution of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) and the installation rites on Wednesday.
On the same day, 17 farmer-beneficiaries also received the land titles for 4.85 hectares of property during the distribution ceremony held onsite in Barangay VIII, Victorias City.
In the south, the DAR-Negros Occidental II distributed land titles to 124 ARBs in Bago City on Thursday.
The ARBs included some 118 farmer-beneficiaries of various landholdings located in Barangay Ma-ao. Some 66 received the owner’s duplicate copy of titles while the 52 others received original land titles.
MARPO Josefina Rodrigo said they received the CLOAs to an aggregate 102 hectares in Barangay Ma-ao.
“We, at the DAR, are very happy that despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, we were able to deliver new hopes to the lives of our ARBs,” Rodrigo added.
Six farmer-beneficiaries also received CLOAs for 4,726 square meters of property, formerly owned by Newsal Enterprises Inc. in Barangay Taloc in Bago on Wednesday.
Some 28 ARBs were awarded land titles in two separate landholdings that same day.
An area of 16.2172 hectares located in Barangay Binubuhan went to 14 ARBs while 22.1054 hectares in Barangay Atipuluan were also awarded to the same number of farmer-beneficiaries.
During the awarding rites, senior agrarian reform program technologist Arren Mondejar urged the ARBs to form a cooperative and avail of the different support projects and programs from the agency. “Our department is doing its best to provide the support services highly-needed by our ARBs in these trying times,” he added.*PNA
