Farmers celebrate long-awaited land titles

By Rosalita Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte --- After years of waiting, Eleuterio Pada, an 81-year-old farmer from Calangcawan Sur, Vinzons, Camarines Norte, finally held the land title he had long dreamed of.

Pada was among 399 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in the province who received a Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) reported that a total of 409 individual land titles, spanning 841.7 hectares, were distributed to ARBs in Camarines Norte, according to Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer in Charge, Odessa Cabezudo.

Cabezudo noted that the subdivision of collective agricultural landholdings was expedited during the Marcos administration through the DAR’s Support to Parcelization of Land for Individual Titling (SPLIT) program.

“We are grateful to have received the land title we’ve waited for so long. Our dream of owning the land we till is finally a reality,” Pada said, expressing his joy along with his sons Arnel and Roel, and his wife Nora, who represented their third son Danilo.

The documents were personally delivered to the Pada family by DAR employees. When asked how many years they had waited for this moment, Pada replied, “It’s been a long time, and I can’t remember.”

“We were born in this land where my father was a tenant,” Arnel Pada explained.

“Regarding the free land, or condonation of our debt, thank you very much President Marcos,” Nora Pada said, referring to RA 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which freed over 600,000 farmers from debt by condoning all principal loans, unpaid amortizations, and interests, and exempting payment of estate tax on agricultural lands awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Under the “DAR to Door” program, DAR not only delivered the CLOAs directly to the homes of ARBs but also conducted visits to monitor the farmers’ situations. These visits aimed to assess their needs to ensure they are benefiting from the land following the award of titles.

Additionally, the DAR provided education to ARBs on the legal aspects of land ownership, ensuring that they are aware of their rights and responsibilities.

To continuously support ARBs in Camarines Norte, the DAR conducts DARamayan sa Pamayanan (DARAVAN) events in various towns throughout the province.

During these events, the DAR gathers ARBs to inform them about the assistance that other agencies can offer.

The DARAVAN is usually participated by agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Coconut Authority, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Municipal Agriculture Office. (PIA5/Camarines Norte)