BACOLOD City – A total of 116 farmers in four local government units in northern Negros Occidental received their certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) in separate rites facilitated by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) this February.
Twenty nine beneficiaries occupied around 34 hectares of landholding in Barangay 12, Victorias City – in the property previously owned by Ben-Jam Agro Development Corp., among others on Feb.24.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Ma. Jade Sollesta said the farmer-beneficiaries on the awarded lots will be installed in the coming days.
In the neighboring Manapla town, 36 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) received land titles and were subsequently installed on some 59-hectare property at Hacienda Sto. Niño in Barangay Tortosa, Manapla on Feb. 19.
The landholdings used to belong to ALM Group of Farms Inc., and the writ of installation was ordered by the office of the Provincial Agrarian Reform Adjudicator.
Officer-in-charge, chief agrarian reform program officer Angel Belga led the installation rites with the assistance of the personnel of Manapla Police Station headed by Capt. Jaynick Bermudez.
Eight ARBs were also awarded titles to more than four hectares in Barangay Iglau-an, Murcia town on Feb. 5.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Imelda Mombay led the distribution of CLOAs to the farmers for the landholdings that were previously owned by the Philippine National Bank.
On the same day, 43 ARBs received titles and were installed on lots covering 18 hectares in separate locations in E.B. Magalona town.
The first, formerly managed by Reeda Bantug, has an area of 2.5 hectares located in Hacienda Clarita, Barangay Nanca, while the property formerly owned by Jeslor Agro-Industrial Corp., which spans 15.5 hectares, is situated in Barangay San Jose.
All the areas are under the jurisdiction of DAR-Negros Occidental I.(With a report from PNA/PN)
