BACOLOD City – The distribution of 1,940 Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) covering 1,823.55 hectares of agricultural land in Negros Island was “just for show,” according to the militant group National Federation of Sugarcane Workers in Negros Island (NFSW-Negros).
NFSW-Negros members blasted the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for giving “non-existent lands” – or if not, lots located beside rivers and hills – to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
Danilo “Roki” Rillo, chairman of NFSW-Negros, said an investigation they conducted together with the Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas revealed that some of the DAR-distributed lands were not ideal for agricultural use.
Some were eroded, thus “non-existent,” said Rillo.
Rillo added that the land distribution will not improve the economic status of the ARBs due to the lack of a corresponding financial aid.
Because of this, ARBs are forced to return the lands to landlords through the leaseback scheme, or ariendo system, said Rillo.
On March 27, DAR undersecretary Karlo Bello led the mass distribution of CLOAs in Bacolod City, calling the ceremonial event the “biggest ever” in the agency’s history.
Bello said there are still 103,000 hectares of agricultural land that are yet to be distributed to qualified ARBs.
He also urged the ARBs not to sell their lands./PN
