Bago City, Negros Occidental
April 8, 2024

“Ang ating pagtitipon dito sa Bago City ay patunay lamang na ang inyong pamahalaan, sa pangunguna ng Department of Agrarian Reform [DAR], ay hindi tumitigil sa pagtupad ng pangakong mamahagi ng mga lupang sakahan sa ating mga benepisyaryo,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. remarked as he led the distribution of land titles and turnover of support services in Bago City, Negros Occidental.

Spearheaded by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Region VI, around 4,700 Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) covering an area of approximately 2,550 hectares were distributed to 2,797 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Occidental.

“Kaya naman, inaatasan ko ang DAR na palakasin pa ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno upang suriing mabuti at madaliin ang pagtukoy sa mga benepisyaryo upang mapakinabangan na agad ang mga lupang sakahang ito,” the President stated.

Apart from land titles, the DAR also turned over certificates of farm machineries and equipment (FMEs), farm-to-market roads (FMRs), Tulay ng Pangulo Para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo (TPKP) and organic fertilizers with an estimated project cost of PhP69 million to around 20 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBO) recipients from both Negros Occidental 1 (North) and Negros Occidental 2 (South).

“Itong programang pang-agrikultura ng pamahalaan ay nagpapakita lamang ng seryosong pagkilos ng administrasyon upang matulungan kayo na magkaroon ng higit na kakayahan, kasanayan at mga oportunidad sa pag-unlad,” the Chief Executive added.

Furthermore, President Marcos Jr. cited that these initiatives began when he signed the Agrarian Emancipation Act or Republic Act No. 11953 that aims to alleviate the debt, including unpaid amortizations, interests and surcharges incurred by the ARBs under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Likewise, he acknowledged the farmers as the nation’s modern heroes who diligently work to provide food for the Filipino people. He also emphasized that by fostering unity among the Administration, concerned agencies and farmers, a comprehensive approach can be achieved to enhance the prosperity of the agricultural sector.

“Nawa’y samahan n inyo ako sa pagsasakatuparan ng isang Bagong Pilipinas — isang bansang walang nagugutom at ang lahat ay kumikilos para sa kapakanan ng lahat,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his speech.

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