The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Negros Oriental targets to distribute about 18,000 hectares of land this year under the government’s land reform program, an official said.

Manuel Galon, officer-in-charge Provincial Agricultural Reform Program Officer 2 (PARPO 2) of the DAR-Negros Oriental, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that they are gearing up for the first distribution by the middle of this year.

“We hope to be able to distribute some 6,000 hectares of land by July this year, once we have finalized the list of beneficiaries and completed the paperwork,” Galon said.

He said they are currently identifying areas for inclusion in the land reform program.

Additionally, land title processing now requires coordination with multiple agencies, such as the Land Registration Authority and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.

In the past, before certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) could be issued, only the approval of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was generally required, particularly to confirm that the land was alienable and disposable, meaning it could legally be distributed and titled.

Apart from the CLOAs, the agency will also distribute electronic or e-titles through Project SPLIT, an initiative to convert collective titles into individual ones.

Galon expressed optimism about achieving a high percentage of land distribution this year, similar to last year’s accomplishment. (PNA)