JORDAN, Guimaras – A total of 110 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Barangay San Nicolas, Buenavista town received Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Region 6.
The distribution on Feb. 9 was held at the covered gym of Barangay San Nicolas.
The CLOAs covered 107.4 hectares of farmland subjected to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, said DAR regional director Sheila Enciso.
The ARBs were tenants of the farmland.
Beneficiary Nimfa Bautista, 66, was overjoyed. “Makapangabuhi na kami sang insakto. Makapananum kami, makasapat,” she said.
Enciso urged the CLOAs recipients to make their lands productive and not abandon them, or the government will take the lands back.
“Ibigay natin sa iba,” said Enciso.
For his part, DAR-Guimaras Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Manuel Velasco reminded the ARBs to faithfully pay their land taxes.
The processing of the 107.4 hectares of farmland for CARP started in 1995 yet, he added.
“Sa land tax dira ginakuha sang aton local government units ang mga panggastos sa social services nga ipanghatag man gihapon sa inyo,” said Velasco.
Meanwhile, Gov. Samuel Gumarin told the ARBs: “Dapat usaron ang duta sang insakto nga mabenepisyuhan sang komunidad. Take care sang inyo possession kay ini ginhatag sa inyo para magmulumag-an ang inyo pangabuhi.”/PN