BACOLOD CITY — A total of 26 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Bago City were installed while 75 others in Kabankalan City received their certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) in separate rites in southern Negros this week.
On Friday, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) – Negros Occidental (South) installed the 26 Bago farmers in almost 16 hectares of landholdings formerly owned by Roberto Benedicto in Barangay Binubuhan.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Rosario Norbe told the ARBs they will continue to receive assistance from the government through various support services.
Norbe also urged them to protect and defend their rights over the land and refrain from engaging in illegal activities, particularly the “ariendo” system or leasing of land.
“There is no reason for ARBs to engage in this prohibited act since the DAR has buckets of support services,” she said.
Under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, the DAR provides ARBs with credit assistance, farm machinery, free agrarian legal advice, and consultation on land problems, among others.
Meanwhile, 75 farmer-beneficiaries in Kabankalan received CLOAs for 75 hectares of landholdings formerly owned by Julie Jalandoni in Sitio Flora, Barangay Hilamonan on Wednesday.
The recipients signed the partition agreement for individual certificates, with assistance from the Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Office, headed by Luz Regala.
The undertaking was supported by the Community Support Programs of the Philippine Army, particularly the 32nd Civil Military Operations Company of the 3rd Civil Military Operations Battalion under the 303rd Infantry Brigade.
Last Aug. 9, the DAR – Negros Occidental (South) also awarded almost 68 hectares of landholdings to 119 ARBs in Isabela town.
The portion of 42.93 hectares formerly owned by the Rodriguez-Abello Agro Commercial Corp. in Barangay Camangcamang went to 86 farmers.
The 11.2 hectares of land in Barangay Buhangin that used to belong to Eduardo Javellana were divided among 14 farmers-beneficiaries while the remaining 13.47 hectares in Barangay Cansalongon, which was previously owned by the Philippine National Bank-Binalbagan were distributed to 19 ARBs. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
