TUBOD, Lanao del Norte (PIA)--Over 800 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from different towns in the province and Misamis Occidental have finally received their long-awaited certificates of land ownership awards (CLOA) and electronic (E)-titles through the Support to Parcelization of Land Titles (SPLIT) project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

In Lanao del Norte, 302 ARBs were granted with 304 CLOAs covering 529 hectares of land, while 75 ARBs received 81 e-titles covering 131 hectares of land. In Misamis Occidental, 234 ARBs received 252 CLOAs for 220 hectares of land, and 196 ARBs received 194 e-titles for 155 hectares of land.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III announced that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., is set to sign the New Agrarian Emancipation Bill, which will condone all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges arising from the award of agricultural lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. This will provide more support to the farmers and ensure that they have the necessary resources to thrive.

"Ang pangarap po ng ating pangulo, pagbigay ng lupa sa inyong, agrarian reform beneficiaries, wala na kayong aasikasuhin na utang at imbis na ibabayad niyo sa utang ninyo dahil sa lupa, ‘yan ay gamitin ninyong karagdagang kapital sa pagsasaka at gamitin din niyo sa pamilya ninyo. Malapit ng pirmahan ng ating ating pangulo ang tinatawag na New Agrarian Emancipation Act na isasabatas na ang inyong matatanggap na titulo ay libre na po, wala na kayong bababayaran sa titulong yan," he said.

(The dream of our president is to give land to you, agrarian reform beneficiaries; you will not have to take care of debt, and instead of paying your debt because of the land, you will use that as additional capital for farming and use it for your family. Our president will soon sign the so-called New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which, when enacted, will make the title you will receive free; you will not have to pay anything for that title)

Meanwhile, the ARBs expressed their gratitude to the government for finally granting them legal ownership of their lands. They have been cultivating these lands for generations, and the CLOAs and e-titles give them security and peace of mind.

"Sa ngalan sa mga beneficiaries namo, salamat kaayo sa DAR, sa national, sa probinsya, ug dire sa lokal. Salamat kaayo, maingon man usab sa atong halangdon nga Presidente Bongbong Marcos, Jr. Salamat kaayo, nga sa kadugay nga panahon nadawat ra gyud sa among mga beneficiaries ang ilahang certificate of land ownership award," said Efren Mulato Villacrusis of La Libertad Farmers Cooperative in Lanao del Norte.

(On behalf of our beneficiaries, thank you very much to the DAR, to the national, to the provincial, and to the local governments. Thank you very much, as well as to our honorable President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. Thank you very much. After a very long time, the beneficiaries finally received their certificates of land ownership award)

Meanwhile, Lluch Benedict Halibas from Mala-igang Digkilaan, Iligan City, also expressed his gratitude to DAR for granting them legal ownership after more than 10 years of cultivating the land. Each person will receive around three hectares of land, and the crops grown on the land include coconuts, corn, bananas, and vegetables.

Lanao del Norte Governor Imelda "Angging" Dela Cruz Quibranza emphasized the vital role that farmers play in the provincial economy, with 44% of the land dedicated to agriculture. This move by DAR is a significant step in supporting the farmers and promoting the growth of the agricultural sector in the region.

Senator Francis Tolentino also witnessed the ceremonial distribution and underscored the significance of the achievement as a demonstration of the government's steadfast support for Filipino farmers. The senator also emphasized the need to enhance access to modern farming equipment and technology for local farmers to enable them to compete effectively with imported products. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)