DEBT CONDONATION. Personnel of the Department of Agrarian Reform Negros Occidental 2 assist agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in securing certificates of condonation and release of the mortgage in this undated photo. Republic Act 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, condones all loans, including interests, penalties and surcharges incurred by ARBs. (Photo courtesy of DAR Negros Occidental 2)
BACOLOD CITY – Some 5,607 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental 2 (South) are validated to receive the certificate of condonation and release of mortgage (CoCRoM) under the Republic Act 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA).
The NAEA, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 7, 2023, condones all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs.
On Tuesday, the DAR Negros Occidental 2 reported a 100 percent accomplishment of the total target ARBs for validation set by the central office.
“The list will then be forwarded to the regional and central offices and the Land Bank of the Philippines. They will determine the final list of ARBs based on the remarks from the provincial office,” it said.
After the certificates are issued, the DAR Negros Occidental 2 will proceed with the distribution on dates yet to be announced.
ARBs with completed the validation are from 18 local government units in southern Negros, including the cities of Bago, La Carlota, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, and Sipalay as well as the municipalities of Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, Ilog, Candoni, Cauayan, and Hinoba-an.
After Secretary Conrado Estrella III issued a memorandum circular in September last year for the creation of a nationwide condonation response and action desk, the DAR Negros Occidental 2 created the Provincial Condonation Response Desk (CoRD) led by Arnulfo Figueroa, officer-in-charge provincial agrarian reform program officer II.
When the CoRD released a summary report in October, the Generation Section started receiving the master lists of ARBs for the filling in of title and lot numbers for transmission to the DAR municipal offices (MOs).
The DARMOs then checked and validated the master lists and sent and posted letter invitations for ARB profiling.
“Aside from validation through CoRD, each municipal office conducted a DAR-to-door or house-to-house validation for a more efficient and effective implementation and continuous monitoring and validation,” the report added.
The DAR said the CoCRoM will open doors and create opportunities for ARBs to make their farms more productive, resulting in greater financial security for farmers and food supply chain security for the Filipino people. (PNA)
