AGRARIAN REFORM BENEFICIARIES. The seven farmers installed by personnel of the Department of Agrarian Reform Negros Occidental-South on 11.1 hectares of landholding in Hacienda Tilangkoy Gamay, Barangay Payao in Binalbagan town on Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2020). They were urged to become productive and empowered agrarian reform beneficiaries. (Photo courtesy of DAR Negros Occidental-South)
BACOLOD CITY -- A total of 48 farmers in Binalbagan and La Castellana towns in Negros Occidental were installed and received land titles in separate rites facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental-South this January.
On Wednesday, seven agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) occupied 11.1 hectares of landholding in Hacienda Tilangkoy Gamay, Barangay Payao in Binalbagan town.
They were installed in the property previously owned by Consuelo Lopez and Jose Nadie Arceo after receiving certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs).
Leading the installation rites, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Gloria Cañonero urged the farmers to become productive and empowered ARBs.
“Develop your lands by availing (of) bundles of support services from various government agencies, especially the DAR,” Cañonero added.
She also told the farmer-beneficiaries to fulfill their obligations and responsibilities, particularly in paying taxes to the government and the annual land amortization to the Land Bank of the Philippines.
On January 7, a total of 41 farmer-beneficiaries received CLOAs in a property in Hacienda Jimenez, Barangay Mansalanao in La Castellana town.
The ARBs are now the owners of 26.27 hectares of landholding comprising 57 titles and sub-lots.
The area is part of the 38.74-hectare lot formerly owned by Arturo Jimenez, among others, covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reform through the compulsory acquisition scheme.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Josephine Yap encouraged the recipients to cultivate the land and make it productive.
Yap also reminded them to exercise diligence in the use, cultivation, and maintenance of the land and to pay their real property tax and amortization.
“This is not the end of our partnership. That is why we encourage you to strengthen your organization and not to engage in any form of illegal activities,” she added.
ARB representative Nestor Monton said they were blessed to receive an early gift from the DAR this year.
“This will be a great help to every family in this hacienda,” Monton said. (PNA)
