MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has distributed a total of 183 electronic land titles (e-titles) covering 304.9723 hectares of agricultural lands in Aklan under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, said the agency on Thursday.
DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the distribution to 175 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) during a ceremony in Naisud Covered Court, Barangay Naisud, Ibajay, Aklan.
Estrella was joined by Aklan 2nd district Rep. Teodorico T. Haresco Jr., DAR Undersecretary Jesry I. Palmares, and Aklan governor Jose Enrique M. Miraflores during the distribution of e-titles to the ARBs.
The DAR chief pledged to keep empowering ARBs by providing them with all the necessary support services to ensure their success in return for being the country’s food producers and providers.
According to the DAR website, the SPLIT Project involves the subdivision of agricultural lands and issuing individual land titles to ARBs who have previously been awarded lands through collective certificates of land ownership (CLOAs).
One of the ARBs, Emelda Zonio of Guadalupe, Libacao has committed to cultivating the land rewarded to them.
“This piece of paper reminded me of my parents who were previously tilling this land. This proof of ownership will provide many opportunities for our family,” Zonio said in DAR’s statement.
DAR Western Visayas Regional Director Atty. Sheila Enciso hopes that the ARB’s long wait will be rewarded as they will soon be able to fully enjoy the fruits of their labor by making their lands productive.
She said the e-titles distributed are in Altavas, Buruanga, Ibajay, Libacao, Madalag, and Malay, Aklan.
Besides the the distribution of land titles, the DAR also handed over a P8.4 million double-lane modular steel bridge under the Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo project, as well as farm machinery and equipment worth P275,850 to selected ARB organizations in Aklan’s second district, and the innovative of farm-to-market roads – Meralyn Melitante, Inquirer.net trainee
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