Former rebels in Samar province have been given a total of three-hectare lot as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the Eastern Visayas recently turned over a parcel of land to the provincial government dedicated for them.
At least 144 housing units will be constructed in the donated land whose beneficiaries are former rebels.
According to DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director Robert Anthony Yu, the land is located in Barangay Catigawan, an upland village about three kilometers from the national highway.
Yu added that the move is part of the DAR's support to the government’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
"Today, we formally turn over these land intended for the housing lot for the Peace and Prosperity Village in the municipality of Pinabacdao, which is our commitment to Executive Order No. 70, series of 2018 or the Whole-of-Nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace and in ending the armed conflict," Yu said in a statement Saturday.
Yu also said that the agency's effort to achieve social justice will not end in the provision of land for socialized housing.
He gave assurance that DAR will continue distributing farm lots to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) that will include rebel returnees.
The DAR regional director assisted Bureau of Land Tenure Improvement Director Romeo Reyes in handing over the Deed of Transfer and the land title to Samar Gov. Reynolds Michael Tan.
The ceremony was witnessed by Pinabacdao Mayor Teodoro Mabag and several members of the Provincial Task Force-ELCAC.
Tan said the provincial government will be working together for the realization of all the plans of the programs that have already been laid out, especially those relevant to ELCAC.