DAVAO CITY – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday, February 7, vowed to complete the distribution of all lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) before his term ends in 2028.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. speaks at the distribution of electronic land titles in Davao City on February 7. (Ivy Tejano)
Marcos led the distribution of electronic land titles to 2,672 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) covered by 3,560 hectares of aggregate lands across the Davao region at the Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) here.
Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Z. Duterte introduced Marcos, who was accompanied by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III.
The President said he is pleased that the DAR distributes land titles diligently. He added that the department distributed more than 90,000 land titles last year, exceeding the target of 50,000 titles by more than 40,000.
“Ang pamimigay ng titulo sa ating mga magsasaka ay unang hakbang lang sa pagkamit ng kanilang kalayaan sa kahirapan (Providing land titles to our farmers is just the first step in achieving their freedom from poverty),” Marcos said.
He said he hopes that such efforts will increase or even double this year, primarily since the administration aims not only to distribute lands to farmers but also to implement the provisions of the Agrarian Reform Act.
The Agrarian Reform Act does not only provide land titles, Marcos said, adding that support continues afterward because if the farmers still need support even if they have land titles, they cannot farm.
Marcos acknowledged the importance of the farmers to everyone in the country. He said that his administration aims to address freedom from hunger and poverty for farmers, ensuring adequate food for the Filipinos.
“Ang mahigit na 2,000 titulo na ipamamahagi natin ngayon dito sa Davao ay magandang simula, at simula lamang, para sa 2024 (The more than 2,000 titles distributed in Davao today is a good start for 2024),” he said.
Of the 2,672 farmers who received the electronic land titles, 167 are in Davao City, 200 in Davao del Sur province, 1,087 in Davao del Norte province, 218 in Davao Occidental province, 500 in Davao de Oro province, and 500 in Davao Oriental province.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. waves to the crowd as he arrives for the distribution of electronic land titles in Davao City on February 7. (Ivy Tejano)
Marcos said the government continues to provide the services and assistance farmers need, including free seedlings, fertilizers, and agricultural tools. He added that the government is also constructing warehouses and accessible roads near the fields in the market.
“Kaya’t inaanyayahan ko kayong lahat na magtulungan sa pagtataguyod ng kapakanan ng ating mga magsasaka (I encouraging all of you to collaborate in promoting the welfare of our farmers)," Marcos said.
Through the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project, the DAR divides the granted lands encompassed by a collective certificate of land ownership award (CCLOA) to furnish the ARBs with individual electronic titles.
Estrella said the Regionwide E-Titles Distribution in Davao aligns with the President’s directive to accelerate land distribution, deliver agrarian justice, and provide support services to the ARBs.
“The DAR, as the main agency responsible for the project, sees this day as a result of collaborative efforts to fulfill its goals. This significant event achieves the project's aim of enhancing land tenure security and reinforcing the property rights of the ARBs,” Estrella said.
Estrella said the DAR will exert maximum effort to prioritize farmers’ welfare throughout the Marcos administration. He added that the event shows the agency’s commitment to advancing sustainable and inclusive agricultural development.
Duterte, who interacted with and greeted the farmers and government officials, thanked the DAR for the region-wide E-titles distribution. She said the Marcos administration is thankful that the land distribution, which was once a dream, has finally come true.