DAR aids 7,500 ARBs with land titles, relief

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By Mariela Angella Oladive

More than 7,500 agrarian reform beneficiaries across Western Visayas received electronic land titles and debt condonation certificates during a simultaneous distribution led by the Department of Agrarian Reform on Jan. 12 at the Pototan Astrodome.

The activity, themed “Sariling Lupa para sa Bagong Bukas na Masagana,” was spearheaded by Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, together with local officials and regional stakeholders.

Under the Support to Parcelization of Land for Individual Titling Project, the DAR distributed 6,472 electronic land titles covering about 13,500 hectares to 5,837 agrarian reform beneficiaries from Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo.

In Aklan, 463 land titles were awarded to 461 beneficiaries, covering 640 hectares.

Antique received 1,108 titles awarded to 1,107 beneficiaries, covering 4,270 hectares.

Capiz accounted for 2,248 titles awarded to 2,056 beneficiaries, covering 4,250 hectares.

In Guimaras, 804 titles were distributed to 496 beneficiaries, covering 1,310 hectares.

Iloilo received 1,849 titles awarded to 1,717 beneficiaries, covering 3,030 hectares.

The issuance of individual titles marked the subdivision of previously collective landholdings, granting farmer-beneficiaries full ownership, possession, and control of their respective farmlots.

“From being passive participants, our farmers will now become active partners in improving their lives and advancing rural development,” Estrella said in his message.

He said individual land titles strengthen tenurial security and allow farmers to independently plan and develop their farms.

During the same event, the DAR also released 1,803 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage to 1,762 beneficiaries in Guimaras.

The certificates covered 2,162 hectares of farmland and condoned unpaid land amortizations amounting to PHP 87.51 million.

Dominga Taguebe of Jordan, Guimaras, said the debt condonation provided significant relief to her family.

“We thank our President and the Department of Agrarian Reform. This is a big help for us farmers, especially for our livelihood and in sending our children to school,” she said.

Taguebe said her family has been engaged in farming for 38 years, dating back to her late mother’s time.

She was granted a Certificate of Condonation with Release of Mortgage covering an 806-square-meter landholding, with a total condoned amount of PHP 632,767.33.

Under the program, the mortgage lien or encumbrance annotated on the land title in favor of the national government is automatically released, allowing beneficiaries to exercise full ownership rights over their land.

The debt condonation initiative is implemented under Republic Act No. 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which removes mortgage obligations of agrarian reform beneficiaries and grants them full ownership of awarded agricultural lands.

Estrella said the program is a priority initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

He added that the measure not only eases the financial burden on farmers but also benefits the government, as the cost of collecting unpaid amortizations would exceed the amounts recoverable.