By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
ON DECEMBER 19, I was privileged to cover an event of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Western Visayas held at Cadiz Arena in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
It was DAR’s ceremonial distribution of Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCRoM), and land titles as well.
It was a huge event. Almost 3,500 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) were there.
Dignitaries included DAR undersecretary Jesrey Palmares, Assistant Secretary Rodolfo Castil Jr., and Sen. Francisco Tolentino
But for me the news about this DAR event became unusual with the tale of 84-year-old Lolo Jose Sola.
Lolo Jose is a farmer from Calatrava, Negros Occidental. He was a CoCRom beneficiary; he had an P8,000 debt condoned by government.
To be debt-free was really “heaven” for Lolo Jose, signifying a merry, merry Christmas and a happy, happy new year for him.
Lolo Jose’s story is heart-warming. He is an ARB who, at the prodding of his fellow farmers before, also joined in a bloc loan in a government bank purposely to buy farm implements/inputs several years ago.
Literally poor, Lolo Jose was having a “headache” looking for money to pay for the loan from time to time.
With a small parcel of land of only 320 square meters, Lolo Jose’s family only plants corn or camote (sweet potato), or vegetables just to have money every time they harvest their simple crops.
When he heard about Republic Act (RA) 11953 inked into law by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on July 7, 2023, he never believed in it. He considered such only a joke. The new statute was aimed at freeing 600,000 farmers across the country from debt.
Later, however, Lolo Jose was shocked when he was informed that he’s among the beneficiaries of CoCRoM.
Hence, he never hesitated to travel more than 110 kilometers from Calatrava to Cadiz just to receive his CoCRom certificate.
For him, to be debt-free is a dream come true.
TEARY-EYED
The jubilant octogenarian farmer was just among the more than 6,000 other CoCRom beneficiaries in the Negros Occidental.
Lolo Jose was teary-eyed during the ceremony. He cannot believe that, in his sunset years, he will be freed from debt.
The amount of P8,000 for him and his family whom he described as isang kahig, isang tuka (one scratch, one pecking) is more than a burden.
“Malipayon gid nga Paskwa (It is really merry Christmas),” his very simple retort when asked about his feeling that his piece of land is now debt-free.
Lolo Jose is the oldest CoCRoM beneficiary in Negros Occidental who attended the ceremony in Cadiz.
Aside from him, other CoRCoM beneficiaries in Negros Occidental who were really grateful to RA 11953 included Mario Flores, 68, from Tortosa, Manapla, who was freed from P35,000 debt; Erlinda Dulman, 70, of Murcia (P77,000) and Sanny Morales of Kabankalan City (P124,042).the
Lolo Jose, Flores, Dulman and Morales were among the 6,125 farmers, totally liberated from debts after government condoned P816,688,884 just for ARBs in Negros Occidental.
Aside from CoCRoM, DAR, led by Palmares and Castil, also distributed land titles to 2,902 Negrense ARBs, covering 2,935 hectares of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) lands.
Palmares told both CoCRoM and new land beneficiaries in Negros Occidental to take care of their lands as they can leave them as legacy and inheritance for their children.
TOUCHING
Well, CARP is always controversial. We have to admit that for the longest time, this program – which was started during the incumbency of the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and was continued by the late president Cory Aquino – still, remains a “nightmare” for listed ARBs who, until now, remain landless farmers.
DAR-Western Visayas per se admitted to have at least 29,000 hectares of deficit – “CARPable” lands yet to be distributed to the rightful claimants in Negros Occidental alone.
How about across the country?
I refuse to say yet that CARP is a dismal failure. But the story of Lolo Jose is one among the greatest achievements that DAR could be proud of. His story is worthy to be told, with lots of lessons to be pondered upon.
Government gives land. Take care of it. Make it productive. Don’t pawn it. Take a potent clue from Lolo Jose.
Blessed is the old man that before he expires in this world, his fervent wish to be debt-free was granted by government. My heart bleeds for this story…for Lolo Jose./PN
