PBBM distributes 23,699 land titles
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has distributed yesterday land titles to 23,699 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) nationwide.
The distribution was done simultaneously with the signing of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act at the Kalayaan Hall of Malacañang Palace.
The President was joined by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III in the distribution program.
Estrella said that New Agrarian Emancipation Act is the fulfillment of the promise made by the President during his first State of the Nation Address last July 2022.
Under the new law, the amortization of principal payments, interest and penalties on the land they are presently tilling will be condoned.
It is considered as the most significant piece of agrarian legislations passed since the whole country was declared an agrarian reform area, by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. in October 1972.
The law will benefit 610,054 ARBs, whose total payables are P57.55B to the Land Bank of the Philippines.
The government will also assume the obligation of 10,201 ARBs totalling 11,531.24 hectares of land to pay the remaining balance of the direct compensation due the concerned landowners under the Voluntary Land Transfer (VLT) or the Direct Payment Scheme (DPS) amounting to P206,247,776.41 million.
Of the total 27,177 land titles to be distributed further, 17,837 are electronic land titles (e-titles) under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling or Project SPLIT, benefiting 16,526 ARBs covering 23,247.5232 hectares of land.
The rests are 8,430 emancipation patents (EPs) and certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) benefiting 7,173 ARBs covering 7,378.38 hectares of agricultural land.
Estrella noted that from July 2022 to July 2023, the DAR distributed under Project SPLIT a total of 16,445 e-titles covering an area of 22,656.1236 hectares benefiting a total of 15,481 ARBs and a total of 23,009 EPs and CLOAs covering an area of 23,689.37 hectares benefiting 25,374 ARBs.
Estrella said the New Agrarian Emancipation Act is a huge step in achieving the President’s goal of food security for the country and giving importance to the farmers whom Filipinos depend on for their sustenance.
Estrella added that the DAR will continue fulfilling the President’s mandate to distribute all available land to farmers and other qualified beneficiaries, clear the backlog of agrarian cases, promote support services including training on modern agricultural techniques and access to credit facilities to realize the vision of “Sariling Lupa Para sa Bagong Bukas na Masagana” for farmers.
Meanwhile, DAR regional officials and local government unit (LGU) representatives will lead the regional distribution of titles in the following areas: Administrative Region (CAR), Newtown Plaza Hotel, Baguio City; Ilocos Region, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Batac, Ilocos Norte; MIMAROPA, AKC Country Homes, Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Bicol Region, Fuerto Sports Complex, Cadilan, Pili Camarines Sur; Western Visayas, Cadiz City Arena; Central Visayas, Uypitching Auditorium, Dumaguete City; Eastern Visayas, Leyte Progressive School Tacloban City; Zamboanga Peninsula, Cultural and Sports Center, Dipolog City; Northern Mindanao, Atrium Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City; Davao Region, Arcadia Event Center, Matina Davao City; SOCCSKSARGEN, Sultan Kudarat Sports and Cultural Complex, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; and CARAGA, Naliyagan Grounds Capitol Agusan del Sur.
The distribution of land titles for Central Luzon and CALABARZON will be held in Malacañang.
