Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones, who led the
distribution at the Leyte Park Hotel here, said the program will inspire more
farmers to become more productive and alleviate themselves from poverty.
The recipients were agrarian reform beneficiaries from three
cities and 26 towns in Leyte and Southern Leyte.
“The President wants an aggressive implementation of agrarian
reform program during his administration. Aside from the piece of land that
should be distributed, we must be able to enhance the support system so that
our farmers will be liberated from the bondage of the soil,” Castriciones said.
The official announced the special program of Land Bank of the
Philippines on loans to agrarian reform beneficiaries.
One of the oldest CLOA recipients was Placida Graciano, 76, who
has been tilling a three-hectare land in Gaas village, Merida, Leyte since
1969.
“I am very thankful that after decades of farming, two years of
processing the documents, I am now a certified land owner,” said Graciano.
Nationwide, there are still 561,000 hectares of land for
distribution to farmers with a target to award 50,000 hectares every year.
About 400,000 hectares of government-owned lands are also being
proposed for distribution in the future, said Castriciones.
“We have to cooperate with our President because he is truly
concerned about the welfare of farmers. He strongly believes that we need our
farmers in order to enhance the development of our country,” the cabinet
official said.
The agrarian reform chief also urged farmers to join the agrarian
reform beneficiaries’ organizations since it is through these groups that the
DAR courses its various support services. (SQM/PNA)
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