289 ARBs in Dinagat get their land titles A total of 289 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Dinagat Islands are now finally owners of the land they are tilling after receiving their Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) from the Department of Agrarian Reform in Dinagat Islands (DAR-PDI). An initiated activity by Secretary John R. Castriciones called “DAR to Door”, personnel of DAR Dinagat Islands delivered the CLOAs into the agrarian beneficiaries’ homes. A total of 349.2696 hectares of agricultural lands were distributed during the said activities conducted between May and July 2021. Of these ARBs, 272 are from the seven barangays of Libjo town and 17 ARBs were from four barangays of Basilisa town. Farmer Enecita P. Aguilar of Brgy. Rosita in Libjo was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude after receiving her CLOA right at the doorstep of their own home. “Certainly, I will not forget this day. For so many years I have been waiting for the CLOA of my land and finally, I have now the title in my hand delivered to my doorstep” said Enecita. DAR Dinagat Islands Agrarian Reform Officer II Marilyn Fugoso said the DAR to
30
|August 14-20, 2021
DAR personnel register the ARBs under the RSBSA for free insurance program.
Door program is DAR’s way of extending the office services to the ARBs and their families amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was a sheer joy watching our agrarian beneficiaries beaming with happiness when they received their land titles,” said ARPO II Fugoso. Meanwhile, Antonio C. Gillo of Barangay Catadman in Basilisa was overjoyed when he was handed with the CLOA.
building and provision of other farm support services. “In our continuing effort even in these challenging times, we are able to provide our ARBs the opportunity to enhance their quality of life through tenurial security and agricultural productivity” said PARPO De Guzman.
“At long last, I got the land that I tilled for a long time,” said Gillo.
On the same activity, DARDinagat Islands personnel facilitated the registration of these ARBs to the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA) and in the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
On his part, Maria Elizabeth L. De Guzman, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer of DAR Surigao del Norte underscored that the DAR to Door initiative is a manifestation that the DAR stayed true to its mandate to implement equitable distribution and ownership of land and prioritize the delivery of support services to the ARBs to make their land productive through capacity/capability
Also during the distribution, the ARB recipients were oriented on their roles, rights and responsibilities as agrarian beneficiaries. After which, the ARBS expressed their commitments to make their awarded lands productive and become a member of a DAR-assisted agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organization nearest to their area. (Daryll M. Tumbaga, DAR-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Caraga INFOCUS
