Duterte wants individual land titles for DAR beneficiaries – USec Bello

DAR Undersecretary Karlo S. Bello (left) led the second day of CLOA distribution to 1,652 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in a ceremony held on Thursday, November 9 at the Gestdan Centrum in Baguio City. Bello was joined by Director Leomides R. Villareal (3rd from right) of the Public Assistance and Media Relations Service, Director Leandro A. Caymo (2nd from right) of the Bureau of Land Tenure Improvement and Regional Director Atty. Marjorie P. Ayson (2nd from left) of DAR Cordillera Region.

BAGUIO CITY, November 11 – Aside from the fast-tracking of the processing and the release of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), President Rodrigo Roa Duterte also mandated the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to provide the beneficiaries with individual CLOAs.

This was emphasized by DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Office Karlo S. Bello when he led the second round of distribution of CLOAs to 1,652 ARBs covering a total land area of 937 hectares in the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mt. Province in Cordillera Region.

The second day of CLOA distribution was held on Thursday, November 9 at the Gestdan Centrum in Baguio City. DAR OIC Secretary Rosalina L. Bistoyong facilitated the first day of distribution in the same venue last Wednesday.

“President Duterte wants individual titling of lands for our beneficiaries, not the collective CLOAs,” Bello said.

He added that the President has also mandated DAR to boost the provision of support services to the ARBs to develop the lands awarded to them.

Bello was recently designated by Malacanang as OIC Secretary of the DAR until the return of OIC Secretary Bistoyong from an official trip abroad.

He also recognized the courage of the ARBs especially on their undying determination to win the ownership of the land they till for more than 20 years.

“I am very happy to be part of this event in your lives. You finally own the lands you’ve been waiting for through the years of toiling and taking care of it. Nobody deserves it better than you and you should make it more productive now,” Bello said.

He also lauded the DAR in Cordillera region for their all-out efforts to make the farmers dream into reality.

“DAR is doing its best to deliver the best service to the farmers. We are now gathering farmers’ concerns and issues,” he added.

Among the concerns being considered by DAR include the requirements from the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Register of Deeds, and other government offices involved in lands.

“We are looking at the causes of the delays in the processing and studying effective schemes to smoothen the operations and coordination of various government offices,” Bello said.

Projects that are part of the support services were also handed over to the ARBs during the two-day distribution ceremonies.

DAR Cordillera Regional Director Atty. Marjorie P. Ayson said the projects received by the ARBs include the P240,000.00 worth of six water tank units for the Community –Managed Potable Water Sanitation and Hygiene (CPWASH).

These water-systems, Ayson added, will benefit Naguey Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Bagong Sablan Credit Cooperative and Taloy Norte Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Benguet province.

ARB cooperatives that include the Atok Arabica Coffee Growers Marketing Cooperative and Tawangan Agrarian Reform Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Benguet also received their P900,000 worth of Village Level Processing Center Enhancement Project on Wednesday, she said.

The CLOA distribution on Thursday was also witnessed by Director Leomides R. Villareal of the Public Assistance and Media Relations Service, Director Leandro A. Caymo of the Bureau of Land Tenure Improvement and other top DAR officials in Cordillera Region. (DAR)