MONKAYO, Compostela Valley — A total of 442 certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) covering at least 481.7776 hectares of agricultural lands in the province of Compostela Valley were distributed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in a ceremony held at the Municipal Gymnasium on February 23.
Under the administration of Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the leadership of Secretary John R. Castriciones, a total of 556 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) received their respective CLOAs during the ceremony.
The distribution was led by Usec. Karlo S. Bello of field operations, Usec. Bernie Cruz, Director Leomides R. Villareal of the Public Assistance and Media Relations Service (PAMRS), DAR-11 Regional Director Joseph H. Orilla and Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer I Melchor B. Jamora.
Farmer leaders from various towns in Compostela Valley thanked DAR and the administration of President Duterte for the land titles.
Of the total land areas distributed on Friday, 59.4803 hectares were given to 66 farmers in Nabunturan town; 307.5361 hectares to 282 farmers in Monkayo; 54.6025 hectares to 75 farmers in Compostela; 15.3498 hectares to 10 farmers in Laak; 41.6867 hectares to 44 farmers in Montevista; and, 3.1222 hectares to 79 farmers in Maco.
Usec. Bello lauded the efforts of the DAR in Compostela Valley for the processing the release of CLOAs and recognized their perseverance in performing their tasks despite the pressures and difficulties.
He also asked the ARBs to do their obligations to the government, protect the lands that they now own and develop the same to uplift their lives.
Bello added that DAR will also provide support services to the farmers through their organizations and cooperatives.
For his part, Usec. Cruz told the beneficiaries to take advantage of their farmlands as he recognizes the long struggle of the farmers before winning ownership of the lands.
Farmer leader Luciano Mascarinas expressed gratitude to DAR and the administration of President Duterte for the release of the land titles.
Usec. Emily Padilla, in a message she sent through PAMRS Director Villareal expressed solidarity with the farmers of Compostela Valley and asked them to make good use of the lands and assured of DAR’s continuing support to ARBs and their communities.
Aside from the distribution of CLOAs, the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the program “Linking Smallholder Farmers to Markets or LinkSFarM was also facilitated during the event.
LinkSFarm is an Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and Sustainability Program (ARBDSP) that is being implemented in partnership between DAR and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
For this year, around 600 ARBs from two barangays in Monkayo town will benefit from the program.
LinkSFarm is also implemented with the support of the local government units (LGUs) in Compostela Valley, the Davao National Agricultural School (DNAS) and Davao Federation of Farmers Integrated Service Cooperative (DAFFISCO). (DAR PR)
