The Department of Agrarian Reform has distributed 71.8991 hectares of agricultural land to 40 farmer-beneficiaries in Manapla town, Negros Occidental, before the end of 2020, to empower these qualified landless farmers in the area.
Secretary John Castriciones said the landholding in Barangay San Pablo in the northern Negros Occidental is formerly owned by Rosario Coscolluela.
He said the farmer-recipients would also receive support services, such as farm inputs, farm machinery and training, among others, to ensure that their farms would become more productive.
“I suggest that you also join agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations in your community for you to have an easier access to other support services provided by the government,” he told beneficiaries.
Municipal agrarian reform program officer Ma. Victoria Delgado said the program is being implemented under the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
Through LAD processes, public and private agricultural landholdings are acquired by the government to be distributed to tenants, farmers, farmworkers and other tillers who are qualified to become beneficiaries.
These farmers would eventually receive certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) covering one hectare to a maximum of three hectares for each beneficiary.
DAR said beneficiaries must be responsible enough to regularly pay their taxes and make their land productive.
“Now that you have your own lands to till, take good care of it and secure that it is free from any form of abuse,” Delgado added.
