MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Regional Office 10 kicked off Tuesday, September 28, the validation of potential agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) for the distribution of government-owned lands in Camp Keithley, a military reservation in the City and the municipalities of Piagapo, Saguiaran, and Marantao covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
"We are here right now to validate who are those ARBs, potential ARBs who are really actual occupants in that area because for decades they are in possession of that landholdings pero wala silang titulo (but they have no title)," said DAR-10 regional director Zoraida O. Macadindang.
She said DAR was instructed by the President under Executive Order (EO) 75 to award idle government-owned lands including Camp Keithley to identified qualified beneficiaries who are occupying the said landholdings.
EO 75 directs all government instrumentalities to identify lands owned by the government devoted or suitable for agricultural purposes for distribution to identified qualified beneficiaries. Under the law, DAR is authorized to place under the CARP coverage all idle government-owned lands for distribution to landless farmers.
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Macadindang said around 4,600 of the 6,667-hectare area of Camp Keithley is subject to CARP coverage.
For the municipality of Piagapo, the regional director said they were mandated by the DAR Secretary to start the distribution before the end of October. This involves around 1,300 hectares in 11 barangays.
"Nandito kaming lahat para sa validation of the ARBs if they are really the real ARBs na nandoon the area. After validation, e-identify namin kung sino-sino sila, and then there will be a survey to be conducted, and generation of CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award), and eventually land distribution," she further said.
[We are all here for the validation of the ARBs if they are really the real ARBs that are in the area. After validation, we will identify who they are, and then there will be a survey to be conducted, and generation of CLOA (Certificate of Land Ownership Award), and eventually land distribution.]
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| Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Regional Office 10 Director Zoraida O. Macadindang shows to Piagapo Vice Mayor Ali Sumandar the barangays covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. (APB/PIA Lanao del Sur) |
Piagapo vice mayor Ali Sumandar expressed his gratitude to the national government for distributing the landholdings to its rightful owners.
"Regarding dito sa programa ng ating pangulo na ibibigay ang lupa sa ating mga constituents ay lubos kaming natutuwa, nagagalak at nasisiyahan dahil matagal na namin itong inaaasam-asam na maibigay sa mga constituents namin...Although nasa kanila ang lupa, pero di pa rin ma-award sa kanila dahil pagmamay-ari pa rin ng military reservation...Matutuwa yung mga tao na magkakaroon na sila ng titulo," he said.
[Regarding our President's program to give the land to our constituents, we are very happy, joyful and satisfied because we have long hoped to give this to our constituents ... Although they have the land, still this was not awarded to them because it is a military reservation ... People will be happy that they will finally have a title (for the land).]
Sumandar also pledged his support and cooperation to DAR for the smooth distribution of lands. (APB/PIA-Lanao del Sur)
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