1,233 Samar farmers receive CLOAs from DAR Secretary

By JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
September 4, 2018

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar – Barely two weeks after his visit to Eastern Visayas, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones was back to distribute again certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) this time in the province of Samar.

On Thursday, Castriciones distributed 1,439 CLOAs under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) at the Samar State University gymnasium in this city. The CLOAs covered 2,658.8 hectares of farmlands situated in 17 Samar municipalities and its two cities.

During the said occasion, Castriciones emphasized to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) not to sell their awarded lands. According to him, “pag-ibinenta nyo ang lupa ay para nyo na ring ibinenta ang kinabukasan ng inyong mga anak”.

Agrarian reform program provides land to the landless where they can get livelihood. This program of the government likewise liberates tenants from tyranny.

Castriciones also advised the ARBs to join ARB organizations (ARBOs) to be able to avail of the various support services extended by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and other government agencies under the Program Beneficiaries Development component (PBD) of CARP.

Former tenants from Paranas town Antonio Acosta Sr., 83, and his son, Antonio Jr., 38, were among the 1,233 ARBs who received CLOAs from Castriciones.

Antonio Sr. who worked as tenant for almost 60 years was awarded with 1.2 hectares of farmland, while his son was awarded with 0.8 hectare.

Both were thrilled to get hold of their respective CLOAs that would prove they are now the owners of the lands they till.

Antonio Jr. shared that they used to give two sacks of rice, 2 sacks of corn and P2,500 worth of copra to the previous landowner as rental.

Now, the earnings from the lands covered by the CLOAs will all be theirs.