The Department of Agrarian Reform is eyeing the distribution of 300,000 to 400,000 land titles to farmers by the end of 2025 as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed to further accelerate agrarian reform for the remaining three years of his term.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the target, though ambitious, is achievable as the agency heeded the marching order of the President to expedite government services to the people.
“Itong taon na ito sa palagay ko ang aming trajectory will be about 300,000 to 400,000 na mga titulo na ang tagal-tagal pong hinintay ng ating magsasaka (This year I think our trajectory will be about 300,000 to 400,000 titles that our farmers have been waiting for for a long time),” he said.”
“Yung iba naghihintay ng 15, 20, meron pa naghihintay ng 30 years at sa wakas natatanggap nila itong mga titolong ito (Some have been waiting for 15, 20, some have been waiting for 30 years and they are finally receiving these titles).”
During his fourth SONA on Monday, President Marcos assured farmers of continuous land title distribution, as well as the condonation of unpaid loans and mortgages of Filipino farmers.
The President said he wanted to assure farmers that the land they till will soon be theirs.
“Kasalukuyang pinapabilis ng DAR ang pamamahagi ng mga CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award) at mga e-Titles, pati na ang mga COCROM (Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgages), bilang patunay na wala nang utang ang benepisyaryo ng agrarian reform (The DAR is currently expediting the distribution of CLOAs and e-Titles, as well as COCROMs , as proof that the beneficiary of the agrarian reform is no longer in debt),” the President said.
Estrella reported that since the beginning of the Marcos administration, the DAR has significantly increased its output.
He said during the first six months of the Marcos administration alone from July to December 2022, the DAR distributed over 26,000 land titles, matching the previous administration’s last year and a half term.
In 2023, he said the number doubled to more than 50,000, and by 2024, DAR had already surpassed 100,000 land title distributions.
Loan condonation
Aside from land distribution, Estrella said the DAR is also issuing COCROMs under Republic Act 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which erases all unpaid amortization for awarded lands.
He said Marcos was worried about how farmers could still pay their loans when they are already burdened by the rising costs of fertilizers, coupled with the impact of climate change that affects their production.
“Ang Republic Act 11953 o ang New Agrarian Emancipation Act na nagbubura, condoning all the loans pertaining to amortisation of land, yan ang isa sa pinakamagandang accomplishment nitong administration. Wala ng iisipin ang mga magsasaka (that is one of the biggest accomplishments of this administration. Farmers will not think about anything anymore),” he said.
Meanwhile, beyond these initiatives, Estrella said DAR also extends other assistance and services to farmers and the agrarian reform communities.
These include the construction of farm-to-market roads, irrigation projects, and the distribution of farm machinery and equipment.
He also cited the latest groundbreaking of an irrigation project, in partnership with the National Irrigation Administration, that will benefit more than 12,000 hectares of farmland by ensuring a stable water supply, thus increasing farming output, contributing to national food security.
Estrella assured the DAR’s alignment with the Marcos administration’s Bagong Pilipinas vision by working closely with concerned departments to uplift farmers’ lives and livelihood.
“Ayon sa aming sinumpaan, bilang Pilipino at nagmamahal sa Pilipinas, kami po ay magtutulong-tulog upang mapaganda ang buhay ng mga agrarian reform beneficiaries at ang lahat ng ating mga mamamayang Pilipino (According to our oath, as Filipinos and those who love the Philippines, we will work together to improve the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries and all our Filipino citizens),” he said. (PNA)