Over 600 farmers in Butuan benefit from land reform

MANILA, Philippines — Almost 2,000 hectares of agricultural lands have been distributed and awarded to more than 600 farmers in Butuan City, the Department of Agrarian Reform said Friday.

In a news release, DAR Caraga Assistant Regional Director Andre Atega said the certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) that were handed out to the farmers covered 1,936 hectares of public land in Barangay Sumile.

The news release reported Sumile Barangay chairman Andy Ecleo as saying the 632 farmers were very grateful to the department for the opportunity to cultivate land they could call their own.

He added that the farmers assured the DAR that they would make their lands productive and would honor their obligations by paying their regular amortization and real estate taxes to reciprocate the government’s gesture.

Atega, on the other hand, said that DAR was not merely concerned about land distribution.

“The department also provides support services, to help the farmers raise their incomes and their living standards,” he added.

He noted that the provision of support services in the form of basic rural infrastructure, credit assistance and livelihood training, among other things, was one of the major components of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.