The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has increased its funding allotment for the land tenure security program (LTSP) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for next year.
In a statement on Thursday, Oct. 20, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the government’s proposed LTSP budget for 2023 was raised by 12.7 percent to P3.53 billion from P3.12 billion this year.
The DAR will utilize the amount to acquire and register 27,942 hectares of land, and to distribute 27,102 hectares of private agricultural and government-owned lands in favor of Filipino farmers, Pangandaman said.
The P3.52-billion LTSP funds cover land acquisition and distribution (P3.03 billion), non-land transfer activities (P11.89 million), and landowners’ compensation by the Land Bank of the Philippines (P256.78 million).
It also covers post-land distribution (P65.12 million), and other engagements in keeping with the LTSP (P152.95 million).
In his budget message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made a commitment to distribute lands to Filipino farmers.
He also pointed out that the government under his leadership “will continue to uphold the rights of farmers and farm workers through the strengthened pursuit” of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARP).
Pangandaman said allocating funds for the LTSP is geared to uplift the lives and improve the productivity of Filipino farmers.
“Owning property has long been our Filipino farmers’ dream. This is the way for them to achieve a better life,” Pangandaman said. “We always hear issue on low productivity and lack of capital and technology of our farmers, which effect their farm output and income.”
“What pains me is that a big percentage of their income goes to landowners. Hopefully, this budget allocation for LTSP will help them achieve their dream of owning the land they tilled. We want to help empower them and improve their lives,” she added.
The LTSP is a major undertaking of the DAR, together with Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development and Sustainability Program, and Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling.