DAVAO CITY – At least 24 farmers from a remote area in Barangay Mulig, Toril, Davao City received their respective certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) in a turn-over ceremony held here on Friday, January 12.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) considered the recent ceremony as special because it was the first CLOA distribution for 2018 and facilitated at the very hometown of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Alongside the distribution of CLOAs was the formal installation of the farmer-beneficiaries inside the subject property.

A total of 26 CLOAs were distributed last Friday that covered around 16 hectares of land that previously belonged to the family of Milagros Reta.

“DAR’s responsibility does not end with CLOA distribution. We will continue to provide you with support services in order to boost your capabilities to further develop these lands,” said Director Leomides R. Villareal of Public Assistance and Media Relations Service (PAMRS) during the ceremony.

Villareal, together with Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Terso Gregorio led the distribution of CLOA on Friday.

He also lauded the family who previously owned the land for offering the property for distribution to the farmer-beneficiaries.

Villareal also recognized the efforts of DAR officials and employees in Davao region headed by Regional Director Joseph Orilla that led to the installation of the farmer-beneficiaries inside their respective landholdings.

For his part, PARPO Gregorio also urged the farmer-beneficiaries to develop their lands.

He also warned them not to sell, lease or mortgage their lands and encouraged the beneficiaries to regularly pay their amortization at the Land Bank.

Gregorio urged the farmer-beneficiaries to strengthen their organization for the swift release and implementation of support programs and services.

Erlinda Carcueva, a 63-year old farmer was teary-eyed when she expressed gratitude to DAR and other stakeholders for the realization of their dreams.

“I’m so happy, my dream of owning the land finally came true. We can now plant whatever we want with this land,” she said in a local dialect.

“My children and grandchildren will never go hungry. I have something to leave them with when I’m gone,” another farmer leader, Josefina Ortiz said.

Last week, Acting Secretary John R. Castriciones reminded DAR officials and employees of President Duterte’s mandate to work for the emancipation of poor farmers in the country.

“It is not enough to give our farmers lands to till, it is part of our mandate to persevere in uplifting their lives. To achieve this, we have to work as a team,” the DAR chief said.

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PAMRS Director Leomides R. Villareal and PARPO Terso Gregorio led the installation of 24 farmer-beneficiaries on Friday, January 12 in Barangay Mulig, Toril, Davao City. (PAMRS-DARCO)

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One of the 24 farmer-beneficiaries received his certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) during the distribution ceremony held on Friday, January 12in Barangay Mulig, Toril, Davao City. The distribution was led by PAMRS Director Leomides R. Villareal and PARPO Terso Gregorio. (PAMRS-DARCO)

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The 24 farmer-beneficiaries proudly presented their newly-received certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) during the distribution ceremony held on Friday, January 12 in Barangay Mulig, Toril, Davao City. The distribution was led by PAMRS Director Leomides R. Villareal and PARPO Terso Gregorio. (PAMRS-DARCO)