BACOLOD CITY -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental-South has bared its target to register 5,112 hectares of still undistributed land for 2019.
As of Thursday, a total of 1,160 hectares covered by certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) have already been registered with the Register of Deeds.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Teresita Mabunay said land areas covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) are located from Bago City to Hinoba-an town.
“These are not yet distributed lands. Once the registration for these landholdings is released by the Register of Deeds, we will administer the distribution of CLOAs and installation of the agrarian reform beneficiaries,” she said.
Records of DAR-Negros Occidental II showed that 800 hectares are still up for survey and another 800 hectares, for valuation.
Figures on the actual areas distributed in southern Negros during the first two quarters of the year are not yet final.
Since 1972, the agency has already distributed 117,000 hectares in the province, benefiting about 76,000 ARBs in the southern part of Negros Occidental.
The total backlog has reached about 50,000 hectares, including those with erroneous notices of coverage.
Mabunay dismissed claims that “CARP is a total failure” because the program is still in full swing. She appealed for the support of both the public and private sectors to achieve the program’s goal to improve the quality of life of farmer-beneficiaries.
“We are still working to accomplish our balance before the year ends,” she added.
Under the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development and Sustainability Program alone, the agency implements three major component projects.
These projects are on social infrastructure building and strengthening, enterprise development economic and physical infrastructure support, and climate resiliency farm production. (PNA)
