Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) who recently received Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) for farmlands they have been tilling for years can expect additional government assistance, according to Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Sec. Conrado Estrella III.
Estrella said during the distribution of CLOA to 98 ARBs from the towns of Narra, Sofronio Española, Brooke’s Point, Taytay, Aborlan, El Nido, Quezon, and Roxas, that more than having their farmlands titled, the ARBs will receive more support services, such as medical, educational, and additional livelihood assistance.
“Nabanggit ko sa ating pangulo, meron tayong programa sa DOH na tinatawag na medical assistance to indigent patients kung saan maaaring isama sa budget ng DOH para masakop ang mga magsasaka. At sinabi ko rin sa ating pangulo na sa CHED ay merong tinatawag na Unifast, ito ay scholarship na nagbibigay ng libreng pangmatrikula hindi lang sa state colleges kundi pati sa private schools, upang ang mga anak ng magsasaka ay makapagtapos sa kolehiyo. Kahit na tatlong anak ay pwedeng sabay-sabay pag-aaralin,” Estrella said.
“Sa TESDA meron din silang tinatawag na step scholarship na pwede rin kayong mag-aral upang magkaroon ng dagdag na pagkakakitaan at tumugon din ang kalihim ng DOLE at nagsabing bibigyan ng step scholarship ang mga ARBs,” he added.
Estrella also said that more importantly, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will issue an executive order for the moratorium on the payment of amortization and interest fees on the lands that were awarded to the ARBs.
In addition to the executive order, he stated that the president has asked Congress to pass a legislation that will permanently eliminate the payment of amortization and interest fees.
“Gagawin yan para imbes na magbayad kayo ng amortization at interest, yung pera ay gagastusin na lang ninyo para mas lalong mapaganda ang inyong pagsasaka at mas malaki ang inyong ani at kita. Sa madaling sabi, ibibigay na lang ng pamahalanaan ang lupa sa inyo ng libre,” Estrella explained.
“Kaya sa inyong mga magsasaka na ang matatanggap ninyo ay halos kulang dalawang ektarya lang, alam natin na ang kikitain sa pagsasaka ay hindi sapat kaya dapat bigyan ng pansin ang karagdagang kita ng mga magsasaka. Kailangan ding mabigyan pa ng iba’t-ibang karagdagang pagkakakitaan,” he said.
Aside from land titles, DAR also provided farm machinery and equipment to ARBs, including two units of hand tractor with implements each to ARBs in Narra, Roxas, and Sofronio Española, as well as one unit 35HP tractor to Panitian Credit Cooperative in Quezon. .
Earlier in the day, DAR also turned over P60 million-worth of bridges expected to boost agricultural productivity in the towns of Aborlan, Sofronio Española, Roxas, and El Nido.