By Filane Mikee Cervantes | Philippine News Agency
The government will prioritize the welfare of Filipino farmers under the Bagong Pilipinas policy, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Friday.
In his speech during the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) and electronic titles (e-titles) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, Marcos said the New Agrarian Emancipation Act unburdens farmers from decades-old debts that prevented them from fully owning the land given to them by the government.
“Sa Bagong Pilipinas, uunahin po natin ang kapakanan ng mga magsasaka at papalayain natin sila sa sistemang nagpapahirap [ng] kanilang kalagayan,” Marcos said.
Farmers, according to the President, no longer need to pay for annual fees or amortization for the lands.
“Wala na po, wala na po kayong kailangan alalahanin tungkol diyan dahil sinabi na namin ay burado na ‘yan. Burado na ‘yung utang ninyo,” he added.
Marcos said the distribution of land ownership titles to ARBs serves as a key to escape from poverty.
“Isa ito sa aming mga programa upang mapabilis ang pagbabago at paglago ng ating mga magsasaka. Magiging susi ito sa pagbangon ng ating kababayan mula sa kahirapan,” he said.
A total of 3,167 e-titles and 1,184 CLOA were distributed to 4,271 ARBs in South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat.
The President said almost 10,700 titles covering more than 18,000 hectares of land have already been distributed in Soccsksargen.
Of the figure, a total of 1,619 ARBs are from South Cotabato; 1,645 from Cotabato; 707 from Sarangani; and 300 from Sultan Kudarat.
For this year, President Marcos said his administration hopes to distribute an additional 2,000 titles to more than 2,600 farmers in the region.
He expressed hope that the program will open different opportunities for the beneficiaries.
“Sa ating mga benepisyaryo, nawa’y magbukas ito ng iba’t ibang pagkakataon upang mapabuti ninyo ang inyong mga sarili at matupad ang inyong mga hangarin para sa inyong pamilya at para sa ating bansa,” President Marcos said.
“Nawa’y magbigay ito ng kapanatagan sa inyong kabuhayan habang itinataguyod ninyo ang seguridad sa pagkain ng buong bansa. Higit sa lahat, nawa’y maging inspirasyon ito para sa inyong mga anak at ang kanilang mga anak na ipagpatuloy at pagyabungin pa ang propesyon ng pagsasaka. Sa kanila nakasalalay ang kinabukasan ng ating bayan,” he added.
Fast-track land distribution
Marcos also directed the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to expedite the distribution of lands and work together with other state agencies to provide services to farmers.
“Tinatawagan ko rin ang DAR na pabilisin ang pamamahagi ng lupa at makipag-ugnayan sa iba’t-ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan upang makapagbigay ng malawakang serbisyo sa ating mga magsasaka,” he said.
President Marcos also assured farmers that the government will continue to find solutions for all the challenges in the agricultural sector, particularly the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, the looming La Niña, and other effects of climate change.
“Hindi po namin bibiguin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob niyo sa akin at sa pamahalaan. Hindi po namin iindahin ang pagod sa paglilibot sa lahat ng sulok ng bansa maihatid lamang ang serbisyo para sa inyo,” the President said.
“Magtulungan po tayo. Sama-sama nating isulong ang masaganang buhay sa ilalim ng isang Bagong Pilipinas,” he added.
