ILOILO City – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) intensified its distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) and electronic titles (e-titles) to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Western Visayas, delivering nearly 14,000 land titles in 2024.
Data from DAR Region 6 showed approximately 13,900 land titles covering 9,300 hectares of agricultural land were issued to 8,400 ARBs under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
Negros Occidental received the largest share, with over 10,000 titles handed to beneficiaries, while the remaining 3,000 titles were distributed to ARBs in Panay Island provinces, including Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, and Aklan, and the island province of Guimaras.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and DAR officials, including Secretary Conrado Estrella and Undersecretary Jesry Palmares, spearheaded the land title distributions in key events across the region. President Marcos visited Bago City, Negros Occidental, in April; Antique in June; and Passi City, Iloilo, in September.
Remaining Land for Distribution
As of June 2024, DAR Region 6 led by Director Leomides Villareal reported that 38,997 hectares of agricultural land remained undistributed to targeted ARBs. The breakdown per province is as follows:
* Aklan – 40 hectares
* Antique – 45 hectares
* Capiz – 5,719 hectares
* Guimaras – 297 hectares
* Iloilo – 4,752 hectares
* Negros Occidental 1 – 13,028 hectares
* Negros Occidental 2 – 15,116 hectares
Debt Relief for ARBs
DAR Region 6 also initiated the distribution of Certificates of Condonation and Release of Mortgage (CoCROM) in 2024, in compliance with Republic Act 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.
The law, signed by President Marcos on July 7, 2023, condoned over P1.5 billion in loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges, incurred by more than 15,000 ARBs in Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental.
The new law addresses debts from land awarded under three agrarian reform laws:
* Presidential Decree 27: Tenant Emancipation Decree issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in 1972.
* Republic Act 6657: Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 under President Corazon Aquino.
* Republic Act 9700: Extension of the CARP land acquisition and distribution program.
During the distribution of CoCROMs, CLOAs, and e-titles on December 21 in Iloilo and Guimaras, Undersecretary Palmares reminded beneficiaries, “These certificates affirm your legitimate ownership of the land you work so hard to cultivate.”/PN