by Perla Lena/PNA
Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from the provinces of Iloilo, Antique and Capiz received various services provided by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in separate ceremonies on Friday.
Led by Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones and Undersecretary for Support Services Office Emily O. Padilla, 529 emancipation patents/certificate of land ownership awards (EPs/CLOAs) covering 562.2 hectares were awarded to 457 ARBs from 13 municipalities and the city of Capiz.
In his message, Castriciones lauded the farmers as among the country’s real heroes, saying that without them, there will be no food on the table.
“It is but proper that they will be recognized, provided with assistance, and awarded a proof that indeed they are Filipinos,” he said.
He reminded awardees that it was not an easy task processing the land titles to become CLOAs because it went through 25 stages and processes. Nonetheless, he said they should be thankful to be given the CLOAs that they have long been waiting for.
As part of its mandate, the DAR also provided farmers with common service facilities (CSF) so they could mechanize to ensure that their parcel of land becomes productive, achieve increased production, and subsequently improve their lives.
He announced that Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol agreed that they will extend farm inputs whenever there are new ARBs.
The DAR also signed an agreement with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Project (CLAAP).
The DSWD has allotted PHP1 billion for the CLAAP, he said.
Meanwhile, the secretary announced that he has just signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) so ARBs would no longer have to pay for their premium when they enroll their crops for insurance.
ARBs may also opt to avail of the Accessible Sustainable Lending Program where they can loan up to PHP50,000 from the Land Bank of the Philippines, with 6 percent interest per annum.
Moreover, ARBs can directly sell their products to the Medical Mission Group of Hospitals without passing through middlemen. This was covered by a MOA for cooperation and collaboration with the MMGH.
“You can avail of health services of doctors through this medical mission groups. This means that you will have the opportunity to seek consultation from our best doctors to ensure that our heroes are always healthy,” he said.
Castriciones also announced that the government will be providing a housing program for farmers. They already have model houses in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya and at the DAR central office in Quezon City.
The model house is 37 square meters with two bedrooms, a living room and a bathroom. It is solar-powered and with granite tiles.
He further announced that the government will be awarding more lands that were placed under the comprehensive agrarian reform program (CARP) to include those in Talavera, Nueva Ecija, where Hacienda Luisita is situated.
The secretary said they will be distributing the remaining land in Hacienda Luisita, as well as CLOAs in Masbate, Zamboanga, and South Cotabato.
He cited that in Sarangani, they will have the biggest distribution in the history of CARP with 10,000 farmers to be awarded with CLOAs, covering some 20,000 hectares.
‘Prior to the Capiz engagement, DAR executives turned over nearly PHP23.78-million worth of support CSFs and PHP5.199 million from the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for ARBs Project (CLAAP) to Antique and Iloilo ARBs in Barangay Rumbang, Pototan on Friday morning.
The PHP16.723 million CSF, composed of three dump trucks, two 35-horsepower tractors, and two combine rice harvesters were turned over to five agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) with 1,585 members in a ceremony held in Barangay Rumbang , Pototan in Iloilo.
The KASAPPI (Katilingban sang mga Mangunguma Padulong sa Pag-uswag sang Iloilo) Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Salngan, Passi City, Southern Iloilo Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Oton and the KAMTA (Kapisanan ng mga Mambubukid ng Tambal) Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative from Tambal, Janiuay each received one dump truck; while the two tractors and combine rice harvesters went to the LADAP (Lanciola, Anoring, Devera, Aldeguer, Padios) Agrarian Reform Cooperative from Devera, Sara and San Florentino Agrarian Reform Cooperative from San Rafael.
Two ARB multipurpose cooperatives from Lau-an and Patnongon, Antique were each recipients of one dump hauling six wheeler truck totaling to PHP7.056 million.
Meanwhile, the CLAAP was awarded to two agrarian reform cooperatives (ARCs) — the San Florentino Agrarian Reform Cooperative in San Rafael and the Nagpana Minorities Association (NAMIAS) from Sitio Nagpana, Lipata Agrarian Reform Community from Barotac Viejo.
The San Florentino Agrarian Reform Cooperative was granted PHP2.35-million worth of livelihood assistance for their corn and rice production projects benefitting 94 ARBs.
The NAMIAS with 114 ARBs received PHP2.84-million worth of livelihood assistance to be used for their corn production and swine production/fattening projects.
Castriciones arrived in Iloilo Thursday evening, where he also met with ARBs and the land developer of the Sicogon Development Corp. (SIDECO) in Carles, Iloilo.
The secretary was joined by DAR Regional Director Stephen Leonidas and provincial agrarian reform program officers from provinces where recipient ARBs came from during the distribution of services.