TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija (PIA) — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) awarded e-titles, Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs), and Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to about 1,071 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Nueva Ecija.
DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Kazel Celeste led the distribution, which also included financial support and production loan assistance under the Accessible Loans for Empowered, Resilient and Transformed ARB Organization Credit Program.
Celeste described the activity as one of the most fulfilling parts of her work, emphasizing that the event marked the fulfillment of the agency’s long-standing promise to farmers who have waited decades for their land titles.
“We are not just giving out pieces of paper to our farmers. We are fulfilling a long-promised commitment of the Department of Agrarian Reform to our farmers,” she pressed.
Under Republic Act No. 11953, otherwise known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, all debts tied to distributed CLOAs have been fully condoned.
This move frees farmers from ₱24.65 million in unpaid land amortizations and benefits 903 ARBs, covering 1,420.7059 hectares.
DAR Nueva Ecija Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer Genevova Talplacido said the activity included the distribution of E-Titles from the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, regular titles, and 1,056 COCROMs.
“The certificates prove that the unpaid debts of our farmers have been condoned and erased. My message to all ARBs is to continue developing your lands so that our food security will be sustained,” Talplacido added.
ARB Lucena Olar expressed gratitude after receiving her title, which she had waited for over two decades.
“This is a great help for us. We are very thankful for the blessing we received, and thank you very much to our beloved President for this gift,” she said.
For ARB Elmer Dela Cruz, whose unpaid dues were cleared through the COCROM, the program was a huge relief.
“This means a lot to me because we farmers have difficulty paying off our debt. Now that they’ve been erased, it’s a big help not only for me but also for my fellow beneficiaries. I hope the President continues this kind of program for poor farmers like us,” Dela Cruz furthered.
In his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized the government’s commitment to accelerating the implementation of agrarian reform programs.
“At para sa susunod na ating salinlahi ng mga magsasaka, tiyak na magiging kanila na nang tuluyan ang lupang sinasaka nila. Kasalukuyang pinapabilis ng DAR ang pamamahagi ng mga CLOA at ng mga e-Titles. Pati na ‘yung mga COCROM, bilang patunay na wala ng utang ang mga benepisyaryo ng agrarian reform. (And for the next generation of our farmers, the land they till will surely and permanently be theirs. The DAR is currently speeding up the distribution of CLOAs and e-Titles, as well as the COCROMs, as proof that agrarian reform beneficiaries no longer have any debt),” he stated. (CLJD/MCAL, PIA Region 3-Nueva Ecija GIP)
