THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will no longer collect payment from the landholder-beneficiaries of the CLOA as soon as the New Emancipation Act (NEA) is signed into law by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Maros, Jr., Secretary Conrado Estrella III said in ambush interview.
Sen. Imee Marcos filed in the Senate the NEA to free the beneficiaries from paying to the bank their titled lands, he said, as he thanked Senate president Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri for his support for the passage of said law.
The Secretary also gave credit to the contribution of the 3 Bohol solons — Congressman Edgar Chatto, Congresswomen Vanessa Aumentado and Kristine Alexie Tutor — in passing the said bill at the House of representatives.
Estrella did not give details of the proposed law which, he said, was already approved in both House of Representatives and the Senate.
But land-owners cannot sell their new landholding within 10 years of possession. If they do, the DAR will take it back, he said.
Estrella and company were here in Bohol to personally grace the blessing of 4 units of farm tractors and distribution of land certificates to the beneficiaries from several towns.
Gov. Aris Aumentado, who welcomed Estrella and party, said that the wait is over for the land titles to be given to the beneficiaries.
“Sukad sa pagsugod sa programa daghang tuig na ang milabay, nakatampo kini sa pagpauswag sa kinabuhi sa mga benepisyaryo niini ug pag-umol sa mas maayong komunidad sa tibuok nasud,” the governor said in his message. (Since the beginning of this (agrarian) program, it contributed to development of the lives of farmer-beneficiaries and helped mold communities in the country).
He added, “Karon nga ang panggamhanan sa Probinsiya nag-una sa agrikultura aron makab-ot ang food self-sufficiency ug kinatibuk-ang pag-uswag, ang mga programa nga sama niini nahimong mas importante kaysa kaniadto,” matod ni Aumentado. (Now the provincial government of Bohol is ahead in agriculture to achieve food self-sufficiency and programs like these are more important than before.)
There were 602 individual land titles from mother Certificates of Land Ownership Awards to 501 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Bohol. This comprises 544.0470 hectares now expected to be more productive than ever, according to Philippine information Agency (PIA).
The secretary’s party included Undersec. Milabel Cristobal (SSO), ASEC Virgilio L. Mendez of Legal Service, ASEC Josef Angelo Martires (FASPO) at the Bohol Cultural Center.
Aside from Aumentado, the Office of the Vice Governor through Board Member Lucille Lagunay, Congressman Edgar Chatto represented by Atty. Abel Damalerio, BM Aldner Aldz Damalerio BM Atty. Venzenzo Arcamo, BM Nathaniel Binlod, PCL President Gloria Gementiza, DAR Region VII Officials headed by Director Leomides Villareal Leomides Villareal, ROD Provincial Director Atty Sunny Ray Villarojo, PIA Manager Rey Anthony H. Chiu, DAR Bohol officials led PARPO Dr. Ronald Inting Pumatong, PARAD Louie Naranjo, PARCCOM Bohol, among others.
The recipients of the project include the Bulilis ARB Cooperative, an Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organization (ARBO) in Bulilis, Ubay and Cagawasan CARP Farmer Beneficiary MPC in Cagawasan, Dagohoy through their respective Chairpersons and members who attended the turnover.
The blessing was officiated by Rev. Fr. Butch Palapar, according to the DAR Bohol press statement. (rvo)
