Ilocano farmers get titles to farmlands

After 19 years of roller-coaster expectations, farmers in Burgos and Bangui towns in Ilocos Norte finally received titles to their farmlands.

Governor Michael Marcos Keon, who fully endorsed the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), distributed certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAs) covering 150 hectares of arable land to 150 farmer-beneficiaries in simple rites at the Burgos town multi-purpose hall.

The arable portions were part of the 451-hectares of the so-called Dungon-Dungon Estate that straddles Burgos and Bangui. Owned by the province, the estate began to be documented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the early 1990s.

In a resolution approved by the Ilocos Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the provincial government sold the land to the farmers for a token amount of P5,000 per hectare.

Direct payment schemes are permitted under CARP acquisition and distribution modes. Here, beneficiaries do not have to go through any government banks and may pay the formers owners directly.

“The token payment is for us to promote dignity among the recipients. By putting in investments, no matter how small, they will feel real owners of the land,” said Keon.

The awarding of titles culminated almost 20 years of negotiations between DAR and the Ilocos Norte government which were delayed several times because of changes in local leadership. Keon gave credit to the persistence of DAR provincial officials led by provincial agrarian reform officer Christianne Castillejos Suguitan in pursuing the resolution of the issue.