Top officials from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) emphasized to local farmers in Negros Oriental that they are not supposed to sell the farm lots that were awarded to them by the government.
DAR Undersecretary for Mindanao Affairs Amihilda Sangcopan and Undersecretary for Support Services Rowena Niña Taduran told farmers in the province to optimize the use of their agricultural lands to achieve higher profit and self-sufficiency.
The two officials were in the city on November 16 to lead the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs), e-titles, and Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgages (COCROMs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province.
Negros Oriental Governor Manuel Sagarbarria and DAR-7 Regional Director Atty. Sheila Enciso assisted in distributing the said documents to the farmers.
During the event, 98 ARBs received 75 CLOAs covering 73.13 hectares of land in Negros Oriental, while 2,225 e-titles were distributed to 1,624 ARBs covering 2,269 hectares of land across the three districts in the province.
Meanwhile, DAR distributed 6,707 COCROMs to 5,549 ARBs, freeing them from paying mortgages, penalties, surcharges, and interests over the acquisition of their farm lots.
Pursuant to the New Agrarian Reform Emancipation Act, the government will condone farmers’ principal loans, unpaid amortization and debts to free farmers from this financial burden.
In a press statement, DAR-7 said the accumulated amount of debts which the government condoned for this batch of COCROM recipients in the province reached P727,750,150.34.
Sangcopan reminded ARBs to cultivate their lands so they have something to pass on to their heirs.
“The titles that were given to you certify you are the owners of the land. Our appeal from DAR is that you develop it and don’t sell it. If you need farming assistance, you can come to us. If we cannot provide it to you, we have our partner agencies,” Sangcopan said.
On the other hand, Taduran assured the farmers of additional assistance to help them boost their production and income.
“Please take care, protect, and develop your lands and do not pawn or sell them. As the sector head of support services, we provide farm machinery and equipment, farm-to-market roads, and we also have post-harvest facilities because we do not just stop at awarding lands to our farmers, we have to empower them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Enciso said the new law, which emancipates farmers from paying debts, will enable them to save more money so they can also procure farm equipment.
“Mayroon po tayong isang farmer-beneficiary na ang lupa na naibigay sa kanya ay P1.6 million po ang dapat niyang bayaran sa loob ng 30 years, kaya lang because of this condonation law ay wala na po siyang babayaran. Imagine po ‘yung P1.6 million po na ‘yan ay magagamit niya sa pagbili ng traktora, fertilizer mas mapapaigi iyong paglinang sa lupa,” Enciso said. (PIA7-Negros Oriental)