R-10 farmers get land titles

CAGAYAN DE ORO – President Arroyo distributed recently 1,543 certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) covering 3,562 hectares of agricultural lands to 2,826 farmer-beneficiaries of Cagayan de Oro.

The farmers awarded with CLOAs come from Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental.

During her speech, the President instructed Budget Secretary Romulo Neri to release half a billion pesos to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the construction of more farm-to-market roads in the remote provinces during the first quarter of 2006.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said that aside from distributing lands, the Department of Agrarian Reform has different on-going projects in the region like farm-to-market roads, irrigation, post-harvest facilities, technical and financial assistance and other livelihood projects to help farmers cope with the new trends in farming.

Accepting the CLOAs from the President, on behalf of the farmers was the president of the Provincial Agrarian Reform coordinating committee Epifanio Laureto. The President was assisted by Pangandaman and Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno.