By Erwin Nicavera/Philippine News Agency
BACOLOD CITY — All the 2,495 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Occidental, who received land titles from President Rodrigo R. Duterte in Sagay City last month, have received the mobile phones he had promised them.
This was confirmed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) North and South offices in Negros Occidental after the distribution was completed by the end of last week.
DAR-Western Visayas Regional Director Stephen Leonidas led the series of distribution activities with Officer-In-Charge Provincial Agrarian Reform Officers II Carlos Padilla and Teresita Mabunay.
Leonidas said in a statement that he reminded farmer-beneficiaries of their obligations to pay their amortizations and land taxes, and assured them that the DAR municipal offices are always ready to facilitate their registration to the government insurance programs.
Late last month, the first batch of 1,000 farmer-beneficiaries received their mobile phones in separate distribution rites. These were the ARBs from the cities of Bacolod, Talisay, Silay, Cadiz and Sagay, and the towns of E.B. Magalona and Manapla.
On April 24, a total of 702 ARBs from the cities of Escalante and San Carlos, and the towns of Toboso, Calatrava and Murcia received their own units.
The following day, 793 phones were also distributed to the third batch of recipients in southern Negros, including those from cities of Bago and Kabankalan, and the towns of Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, and Pontevedra.
DAR-Northern Mindanao Director Joseph Orilla, who facilitated the shipment of the mobile phones from Malacañang to Negros Occidental, said the President wants to ensure that the customized phones are delivered to the ARBs.
The 2,495 ARBs received land titles to 1,609 hectares of acquired land from 141 landowners in eight cities and 11 municipalities in Negros Occidental.
In northern Negros, the beneficiaries were 400 from Cadiz City; Calatrava, 42; E.B. Magalona, 96; Escalante City, 164; Manapla, 94; Murcia, 216; Sagay City, 331; San Carlos City, 118; Talisay City, 30; Toboso, 180; and Bacolod City, 31.
Those in the south included 153 from Bago City; Binalbagan, 37; Hinigaran, 103; Isabela, 54; Kabankalan City, 116; La Castellana, 109; Moises Padilla, 169; and Pontevedra 52.
The President, during his speech in the program held in Sagay City’s Balay Kauswagan, promised to provide fertilizers and mobile phones to each of the recipient of land titles.
He told them that they can call to file a complaint or raise a concern to the government using their mobile phones.
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