Recipients
of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) pose during
photo opportunity with Agrarian Reform Undersecretary for
Field Operations Karlo Bello (4th from left) and other
officials from DAR, LGU and RIGHTS. |
921 Leyte farmers
receive CLOA from DAR
By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
December 23, 2017
CARIGARA, Leyte –
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned the Christmas of 921
Leyte farmers more meaningful as the latter received their long
awaited certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) here last week.
A total of 442 individual
and collective CLOAs covering 941.5 hectares of farmlands situated
in the municipalities of Barugo, Jaro and San Miguel were
distributed by DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Karlo Bello
during the occasion.
Bello thanked the DAR
personnel for doing their jobs despite various problems being
encountered in the field.
To the farmer
beneficiaries, Bello asked them to just continue believing in the
government.
OIC-Regional Director Ma.
Fe Malinao disclosed that these are part of the unreleased CLOAs
pending at the Registry of Deeds (ROD) for several years. According
to her, this is now the third distribution since November last year
after thorough validation of agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Old couple Dulcisimo
Sotto, 84, and Soledad, 82, of Barangay Bahay, San Miguel, Leyte
thanked DAR for they now have the right to the land they are
tilling.
Lolita Arpon of Barangay
Malpag, San Miguel, Leyte thanked DAR also for she won’t be going to
Tacloban City anymore just to follow up when their CLOA will be
released. To her, it was a wonderful Christmas gift she received
this season.
Though speechless, a
grandmother from Barangay Macanip, Jaro, Leyte Juanita Colangco, 87,
can’t hide her happiness when she received her CLOA.
Meanwhile, DAR Leyte
Provincial Office Chief of the Legal Division Daniel Pen reminded
the agrarian reform beneficiaries of their responsibilities and
obligations during the said occasion emphasizing not to sell their
awarded lands but make them productive instead, and pay their taxes
as they are now the owners of the land.