The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is set to distribute around 80 hectares of agricultural land to 102 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Busuanga, Palawan.
The "Pag-anDAR sa BPR (Busuanga Pasture Reserve): Serbisyong may Puso, Aarangkada sa Pag-asenso ang mga Busuangeño" will be conducted on Jan. 21-22, part of it is the distribution of lands, provision of free agrarian legal counsel, and orientation on organizing support services for the ARBs.
DAR Secretary John Castriciones said the lands to be distributed are government-owned lands (GOLs), including the BPR, also known as Yulo King Ranch, which will be put into good use as it will benefit the farmer-beneficiaries.
"For many years, our farmers in this town are asking for the distribution of these lands. BPR is a good case in point, as it is a huge agricultural land that was placed under the management of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Forest Management Bureau. With President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing into law of Executive Order No. 75, Series of 2019, on February 1, 2019, the DAR has quickly facilitated the process of subjecting this land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP)," Castriciones said.
He added that assigning DAR as the lead agency that provides central direction and coordination for the implementation of the said executive order, is a manifestation of the government's desire to provide the landless farmers with their own lands to till.
"Our activity anchors with the state policy of promoting land reform towards a sound agricultural development, agro-industrialization, and peace and order in the countryside," Castriciones said.
The free agrarian legal counsel will be conducted to help Busuanga farmers with agrarian legal issues.
The orientation on ARB-organizing support services will be conducted by DAR's Program Beneficiaries Development Division.
The Serbisyong DAR-to Door activity is one of the major highlights of the two-day activity, where identified farmer-beneficiaries will personally receive their land titles from Castriciones "directly on their farmlands or right at the doorsteps of their homes."
Castriciones said the activity in Busuanga is reflective of the government’s effort in bringing the essential services to the people to promote equitable distribution of land and provide support services to increase productivity and income and promote peace and order in the countryside.