(INQUIRER file photo / ERWIN MASCARIÑAS)
MANILA, Philippines – No farmer will be left behind as the country works on improving its agriculture sector, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. vowed during the distribution of electronic titles (e-titles) and Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) in Panay Island on Thursday.
“Ang ating pamahalaan ay batid na marami sa inyo ang nagkaroon ng maraming pagsubok sa pagsasaka. Pero ito ang pangako namin – hindi namin kayo pababayaan,” Marcos said in his speech.
(The government is aware that many of you have had many trials in farming. But this is our promise – we will not neglect you.)
“Lahat ng ito ay bahagi ng mas malaking layunin na tiyakin na walang magsasakang maiiwan,” he added.
(All this is part of the larger goal of ensuring that no farmer is left behind.)
During the event spearheaded by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), a total of 2,588 e-titles and CLOAs covering a total of 2,643.52 hectares of the land were distributed to over 1,900 agrarian reform beneficiaries from the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo.
The distribution is part of DAR’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program aimed at enhancing rural development and the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project that ensures the security of land tenure by providing individual e-titles.
In an earlier event on the same day, Marcos reminded beneficiaries to use the lands awarded to them responsibly, adding that it would benefit not just their families but also the country.