CEBU CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Tuesday, Feb. 21, distributed land titles to hundreds of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries in Bohol province.
AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III and Gov. Aris Aumentado lead the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Award to hundreds of beneficiaries in Bohol on Tuesday, Feb. 21. (Photo via Calvin D. Cordova)
DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III led the distribution of 595 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to 491 beneficiaries at the Bohol Cultural Center in Tagbilaran City.
The beneficiaries came from 18 municipalities in the province. The titles distributed covered 494.9568 hectares of land.
Gov. Aris Aumentado, DAR-Central Visayas director Leomides Villareal, and Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ronald Pumatong attended the activity.
In his message, Aumentado advised beneficiaries to make good use of the land awarded to them.
The distribution of titles is proof that Boholanos are benefiting from agrarian reform that the government has undertaken, he added.
"Since the program started many years ago, it has contributed to improving the lives of its beneficiaries and shaping better communities across the country," Aumentado said.
The agrarian reform program has also contributed a lot to the province’s progress, Aumentado said.
"Now that the provincial government is prioritizing agriculture to achieve food self-sufficiency and overall progress, programs like this have become more important than ever," said Aumentado.
Estrella reminded the beneficiaries not to sell the parcel of land awarded to them.
He said that the bill New Emancipation Act is nearing approval in the Senate. Once the law is approved, beneficiaries will no longer have to pay for the land.
Lots awarded to the beneficiaries have already been paid by the government. Beneficiaries will then pay the land that they received through Landbank in installment basis.
Bohol Representatives Edgar Chatto, Vanessa Aumentado, and Alexie Tutor are also responsible for the creation of the law that will benefit CLOA beneficiaries, Estrella said.
DAR also distributed agrarian machinery to the Cagawasan CARP Farmer Beneficiary in Dagohoy, Bohol and Bulilis Agrarian Reform Communities Cooperative in Ubay, Bohol.