By Christine Cudis/PNA
MANILA — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will award the remaining portions of land in Hacienda Luisita to farmer-beneficiaries in Tarlac in March this year, an official said on Friday.
“Yes, the farmers will finally have it. The formal rites will be conducted in March 2019 with President [Rodrigo Duterte]. It will be along with other beneficiaries in Region 3 (Central Luzon),” DAR Secretary John Castriciones said in a phone interview.
The DAR will be distributing a total of 472 hectares of land in Nueva Ecija province, with parts coming from the Cojuangco-owned hacienda in Tarlac, that will be given to 546 beneficiary farmers.
“Ito na po yung pinakahuli na portion ng Hacienda Luisita na hindi pa napamimigay. At ngayon po sa administrasyon na to ipapamigay na ang lupa sa Barangay Bantog (This will be the remaining portion of land in Hacienda Luisita left to be distributed to farmers. This administration grants the land in Barangay Bantog),” Castriciones said in a press conference on Wednesday.
At least 41,077 hectares will also be distributed to 31,132 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) this year.
The projected number has a positive note as DAR exceeded the target of hectares in 2018 with 60,777 hectares distributed to 41,787 ARBs.
The certificate of land ownership awards were already distributed to some farmers this year, according to DAR data.
Some 715 beneficiaries received 802 hectares of land in Negros Occidental on February 2. Of the 802 hectares, around 129 hectares will be given to 314 farmers in Sagay, Negros Occidental.
On February 11, President Duterte and Castriciones distributed a total of 834 land titles in Maguindanao.
In Davao Region, DAR is also set to distribute a total of 5,055 hectares of land to 2,525 farmer-beneficiaries.
Some 30,000 hectares of land in Region 12 (Socsksargen) will also be distributed to 10,000 farmers soon. This includes the distribution of unutilized lands at the University of Southern Mindanao and the Cotabato Foundation College of Science Technology with 4,618 hectares of land to 2,730 farmers.
