Balamban farmers are now landowners
In celebration of the 24th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), the Department of Agrarian Reform in Cebu distributed Certificate of Land Ownership Awards ( CLOAs) to 68 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Balamban, Cebu.
The covered landholdings were previously owned by Irenea Mendoza, Marcelino Bendebel, Norma Tan, Francisco Alonso, and Gregorio Trocio covering 71.7926 hectares situated in barangay Biasong, Vito and Luca, Balamban, Cebu placed under the CARP.
Another group of 11 ARBs from the nearby town of Asturias also received their CLOAs which covered a total area of 25 hectares owned by Ananias Gilay located in Bago, Asturias and a foreclosed DBP landholdings situated in Ubogon, Asturias that were covered under CARP.
The distribution ceremony was led by Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer ( CARPO) for Administration Dr. Andrea Paciana Labra and Balamban Mayor Ace Stefan Binghay, assisted by Balamban Human Resource Division Chief Napoleon Moralde, OIC CARPO for Operations Lilian Guanzon, Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Cristina Bumatay, and Legal Officer Edgar Guanzon held at the Balamban Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall, Poblacion, Balamban, Cebu last June 13, 2012.
During the CLOA distribution, Legal Officer Edgar Guanzon discussed the obligations and responsibilities of the beneficiaries. He reminded farmers that their obligations and responsibilities begin upon receiving the CLOA. He told the farmers to cultivate and make the land productive. He also reminded them of their obligation to pay the real property taxes of their lands, and to pay their 30 years of amortization to the Land Bank of the Philippines.
CARPO Labra, in behalf of the DARPO Cebu head, OIC PARO II Isaganie Yee congratulated the new landowners and urged them to make the awarded land useful. She likewise told them of DAR’s support services and encouraged them to actively participate in ARB organization by which support services would benefit the members, and projects are channeled through the local government unit and other government agencies in the implementation of DAR programs.
Mayor Binghay said, “I believe this day is a significant day to the farmers who are new landowners, let us help each other and together we make progress”. He was happy and thankful with the DAR program despite the challenges faced by DAR in acquiring the land for the farmers.
For her closing remarks, OIC CARPO Lilian Guanzon reminded the farmers to value their land title, and the efforts of the DAR personnel and the partners in the implementation of DAR program, by standing on their rights and their obligations to make the land fruitful and uplift their lives.
The simple land distribution ceremony was also attended by Biasong Barangay Agrarian Reform Committee ( BARC) Chairman Maximino Englis, Luca BARC Chairman Dionesio Pepito, MARO Erlinda Alegado, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office Merlita Milan, Balamban councilors : Avelino Pilapil, Eliezer Climaco; Balamban DAR municipal staffs: Eleanor Lumasag, Rene Cudis, Legal Officer Benson Villaflores and provincial staff CLOA processor Maricar Brigoli, and Provincial Information Officer Rosanna Gay Visitacion.