LAND TITLE. Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones turns over a check to the San Luis ARBs for common service facilities under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support program. Castriciones was in Iloilo Saturday (May 15, 2021) for the distribution of Emancipation Patents and Certificate of Land Ownership Awards and other support services to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Panay and Guimaras. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Information Agency)
ILOILO CITY – A total of 1,322 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from Panay and Guimaras received their Emancipation Patents (EPs) and Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) during the distribution ceremony held at the Sara National High School in Sara, Iloilo on Saturday.
The distribution, led by Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones, released 751 EPs and CLOAs covering a total of 1,416.9321 hectares.
Castriciones, in his message, said he was happy that the farmers have achieved their dreams of finally owning a piece of land.
“Hindi na sila ordinaryong magsasaka, kundi sila na ngayon ay may-ari ng kanilang sariling lupa (They are no longer ordinary farmers but they are already owners of their land),” he said, adding that a lot of farmers have been waiting to own a piece of land.
He said amid the hardships because of the health pandemic, the department persisted in continuing with the land reform program to bring the message that the government is after the people's welfare.
In her words of gratitude, Criselda Deano, an ARB from Barangay Devera, said his father died waiting for the title of the two-hectare farm that was instrumental in sending them four siblings to school.
She said after working abroad for two years, she decided to come home in 2020 to till the piece of land that was left to her by their father, and now she has the land title that her father had been waiting for.
She also challenged her fellow ARBs to develop the land awarded to them.
Deano added that the piece of land could send their children to school, provide a good life to their grandchildren, and most importantly, help the government.
In addition to EPs and CLOAs, three agrarian reform communities from the municipality were also recipients of common service facilities (CSFs) under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS).
The Nagkaisa Agrarian Reform Cooperative from Barangay Tentay received PHP372,020 aid, PHP371, 390 for the San Luis ARBs Association in Barangay San Luis, and PHP1.046 million for Bagaygay ARBs Organization.
Rosemarie A. Layda, manager of the Nagkaisa Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) said they are not multi-millionaires but their lives have been improved because of the support they received from the government, such as farm machinery. (PNA)
