A total of 128 farmers in various Bohol towns were given land titles by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Thursday.
DAR Undersecretary Atty. Karlo Bello led the distribution of certificates of land award (CLOA) to the agrarian reform beneficiaries of seven Bohol towns at the Diamond Hotel in Tagbilaran City.
According to the DAR, lands with total area of 103.53 ha were distributed to 35 farmers in Catigbian, six in Getafe, six in Danao, 12 in San Miguel, eight in Carmen, 12 in Sierra Bullones and 29 in Pilar.
The beneficiaries applied for the land distribution program in 2008 and 2009.
Crispiniano Puersas of Catigbian who was among the new land owners thanked officials for finally appropriating agricultural land for his family.
“Nagpasalamat ko kay sa kadugay na panahon nakaangkon na ko og akong kaugalingon na yuta,” Puersas said.
According to DAR 7 director Alejandro Otacan, CLOAs are issued to qualified farmers as part of the government’s efforts to provide livelihood and to boost the economy as well.
Over a thousand farmers in the province of Bohol have benefited from the various programs of DAR, Otacan said.
The DAR also urged the beneficiaries not to sell or lease the newly acquired lands but to instead utilize these to generate income.
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (Republic Act No. 6657), however, prohibits the sale or lease of lands covered by the CLOA for at least 10 years.
For her part, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Grace Fua said that the department is also implementing more projects other than land distribution.
DAR has been launching projects involving irrigation, farm-to-market roads and development initiatives such as the Agrarian Reform community Development Program, Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project and Belgian Integrated Agrarian Reform Support Project, among others, she said. (rt)