CEBU, Philippines – Fifty-nine farmer beneficiaries from barangay Canhabagat, Medellin town, Cebu, have received their Certificate of Land Ownership Award from the Department of Agrarian Reform recently.
The CLOAs cover a 114-hectare lot formerly owned by landowner Genoveva Villalon.
Retired Judge Exaltacion Navarro who represented the landowner said that the Villalons wholeheartedly gave their property to the farmers in compliance with the Agrarian Reform Law.
“If it took some time before it was distributed to the farmers, it is because we want to go through the legal process,” Navarro said.
“Now, we now hold the evidence of our ownership. I thought this would never come. I have been hesitant to join the program then thinking it would only one of those ningas-cogon programs, but now, I realized I was wrong. We are now the new landowners.
Thanks to DAR personnel for their perseverance in helping us process the document and papers,” said Flora Argawanon who represented the farmers.
The CLOAs were distributed by DAR-7 regional director Rodolfo Inson assisted by Cebu provincial agrarian reform officer Stephen Leonidas.
After the distribution of CLOAs, the new landowners were installed in their lots.
Inson reminded the new landowners not to forget their responsibilities as new landowners to pay taxes and amortizations and work diligently to make their lands productive. — Gregg M. Rubio/BRP (THE FREEMAN)