Duterte orders distribution of government lands in Negros

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte directed the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to distribute government-owned lands, including those in the mountain areas, to entitled beneficiaries.

Duterte made the commitment after he led the ceremonial distribution of 3,423 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to representatives of 2,495 beneficiaries in Barangay Kauswagan in Sagay City on Friday.

Duterte vowed to speed up the allocation of lands in the remaining three years of his term. He said, however, that he would prioritize the distribution of state properties to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

“I still have three more years. I will give everything to the people, especially lands owned by the government which are not being utilized. I already ordered (DAR Secretary John) Castriciones to give the land to the people,” the President said.

Duterte invoked the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

He lamented that the government is met with many challenges in the distribution of lands, especially when occupants refuse to give them up or when some groups use the issue of land distribution for political interests.

Duterte said he wanted to seek peace with the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels but it has been hard to strike a deal.

“I don’t want to kill the NPAs. I don’t even want to kill anybody, especially the Filipinos. Why can’t we have discussions instead?” the President added.

To help the farmers, Duterte said he already tasked Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol to ensure that the assistance would reach the countryside.

The President reiterated his firm commitment to alleviate the lives of the poor. “I want them to prosper, at least during my term,” he said.

“I don’t tell promises that I cannot keep. Once I said it to the public, I will honor my words till I die.  I will do it,” he stressed.

Duterte also promised the beneficiaries who received their CLOAs during the ceremonial distribution that they would also receive fertilizer and support services.

He also vowed to give each of them cellular phones so they could report their complaints if these promises are not fulfilled.

According to DAR, a total of 485 of the beneficiaries who received their land titles have already been provided with essential support services from the agency, including credit facilitation and availment, capacity-development, trainings, provision of common service facilities, livelihood support, agri-extension services, lawyering and market linkages, among others.

The CLOAs that were distributed covered a total of 1, 609 hectares acquired land situated in eight cities and 11 municipalities in Negros Occidental, one of the provinces in the Philippines with vast private agricultural lands.