LEGAZPI CITY– The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is currently conducting land validation in Milagros town in Masbate, on the plan to distribute the remaining 303 hectares of the Yulo Estate to the landless farmers.

“The results from this validation will tell us if the DAR can put the entire area under the agrarian reform program. Only then can we proceed to process the land for distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBS),” said DAR Bicol Regional Director Rodrigo O. Realubit.

The validation came about after a meeting of Realubit with Philippine National Police (PNP)Brigadier General Bart R. Bustamante. Realubit discussed the need to expand the land distribution program in Masbate province, mentioning particularly the remaining 303 hectares of the Yulo Estate in Milagros town, which he said can be distributed to ARBs under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

In the meeting, the PNP pledged to assist the DAR in the validation process up to the possible distribution of the remaining CARPable areas covered by the estate to the landless ARBs.

“We are grateful for the PNP’s help. We really need them to assist us in keeping the peace when we talk to the farmers and landowners,” Realubit said.

The Yulo Estate, totaling 1,372 hectares, is divided into two parcels of agricultural lands, one in Bgy. Matagbac with 1,019 hectares, and the other one in Bgy. Sawmill with 261 hectares. Based on DAR’s records, 1,069 hectares have already been distributed to CARP beneficiaries in 1998 and 2002.

DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Herald R. Tambal said his office has already marked the remaining 303 hectares as potential area ‘for subsequent distribution’ while taking measures to resolve some critical issues affecting the land.

Tambal also said the DAR is still in the process of validating or checking if the agency can put the entire Masbate, not just the Yulo estate, under the agrarian reform program.

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DAR-Nueva Vizcaya sees agri boost with P7.2-M irrigation system project

ARITAO, Nueva Vizcaya—Agricultural production of farmers here in this province is expected to improve after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned over on February 9, a Communal Irrigation System (CIS) project worth P7.2 million to the local government unit and recipient irrigation association.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Dindi Tan said the CIS, located in Barangay Calitlitan, Aritao, was constructed to irrigate 80 hectares of farmlands.

“This will definitely change the way of life of the farmers in the community, as well as improve the economy through higher rice and vegetable production. We at DAR will always strive for the improvement of the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs),” said Tan.

Tan said the irrigation system, with a span of 8 kilometers with 6 laterals, passes through two (2) barangays, and would benefit more than 100 farming households in the area, of which more than 80 are ARBs.

“This irrigation project will also address the farmers’ problem of extreme dryness during summer, especially if there is an El Niño phenomenon where there is an absence of rain that lasts for months,” she added.

The CIS is funded and monitored by the DAR under the regular Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) fund, with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) as the lead implementer.

Present during the turnover ceremony were representatives from DAR-Nueva Vizcaya, members from recipient organization-the South Bone-Calitlitan Irrigators Association and local officials from the provincial government of Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.

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DAR-Ilocos Region seeks harmonious working relation with Pangasinan prov’l govt

Department of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Region (Region 1) regional director Primo Lara has taken a big step for the smooth and orderly implementation of various flagship programs of the agency when he met with Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino III this February at the Capitol Resort Hotel in the municipality of Lingayen.

Lara said that working hand-in-hand with the local government officials is vital for they play a major role in getting the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) going.

He stressed the need to get the local government units involved particular to the DAR’s Balai Farmers Housing Program since the agency is heavily dependent on the lot it would donate on which the housing project for the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) would be established.

DAR will put up the housing project in partnership with the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development and a private real estate developer, the Bellavita Land Corporation.

Earlier, the DAR had chosen the municipality of Umingan in Pangasinan as its pilot area for the more than 500 housing units to be built for its ARBs.

Lara also introduced to Gov. Espino the other programs of the department, which included among others the Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Project (CLAAP), the Climate-Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) and the Support for Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT).

Lara said CLAAP refers to various forms of on- and off-farm livelihood assistance, most notable among them is the animal husbandry, such as, raising of goats, hogs, and chickens, among others.

The CRFPS involves the provision of infrastructure projects and the distribution of farm machineries to agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations to enable them to stave off the ill-effects of climate change.

On the other hand, Lara said the strong clamor for subdivision of collective Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) into individual title prompted the DAR to push for the SPLIT program.

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