The Department of Agrarian Reform-Negros Occidental 2 distributed Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to 64 farmer-beneficiaries in La Castellana Wednesday.
The ARBs are now the owners of the 32.1682-hectare of the total 57.9371 hectares of land covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reform through Compulsory Acquisition scheme.
Mila Alejado, municipal agrarian reform program officer, led the CLOA distribution and said the CARP-covered property that was located in Hacienda Cantikbel in Barangay Robles was formerly owned by Francisco Manalo.
“The land titles and the land awarded to you are the precious things that you must treasure forever and utilize these blessings to uplift the quality of your lives,” Alejado told the ARBs, adding that they should take good care of the property by diligently performing their obligations.
Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Manguilimutan also appealed to farmer-beneficiaries to help the province and the town to ensure food security especially during this pandemic.
“As a farmer and an ARB, I am personally asking you to help DAR in its campaign against the ariendo system for this prohibited act will not help you to succeed in life,” Manguilimutan added.
She also encouraged the new landowners to form an association or cooperative to avail of various support services from DAR and other government agencies.
Joemar Blanca of the Land Bank of the Philippines, who was also present during the distribution ceremony, discussed the roles and obligations of ARBs to the government after receiving their land titles.*
