Five hundred seventy-five (575) farmers in Hinunangan, Southern Leyte are now legal owners of the land they have been tilling for decades as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed certificates of landownership award (CLOAs) on July 29, 2021.
DAR Secretary Bro. John Castriciones, who led the distribution of individual CLOAs, said the land distributed to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) has a total land area of 575 hectares.
Brother John said that the lands awarded to the farmers took more than 15 years of processing. Most of the landholdings had issues on land coverage involving contentious private agricultural lands.
“I am proud to say that although it took more than a decade for these farmers to get their land, the DAR was able to resolve these problems judiciously,” Brother John Said.
“Ako po ay natutuwa sapagkat ngayong hapon na ito ay pinagtagumpayan natin ang matagal na natin problema sa lupa. Ang ibig sabihin, ay naging successful at nagwagi ang pakikipaglaban ng Department of Agrarian Reform kasama ang ating mga mag-uuma,” (I am glad because this afternoon we have overcome our long-standing problem on land. That is, the Department of Agrarian Reform together with our farmers has been successful and victorious in their struggles.) Brother John said.
“Tandaan po ninyo, hindi diyan nagtatapos ang tulong DAR. Kami po gagawin namin ang aming makakaya upang paunlarin ang inyong lupa,” (Remember that DAR’s assistance does not end there. We will do our best to develop your land.) Brother John said to the farmers.