DAR turns over
Samar land for former rebels
|
Department
of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR’s) Bureau of Land Tenure Improvement
Director Romeo Reyes (second from left) hands over to Samar
Governor Reynolds Michael Tan (third from left) the Deed of
Transfer and the land title for the three-hectare lot in
Barangay Catigawan in Pinabacdao town intended for the housing
project for former rebels as the said agency’s contribution to
End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) activities.
Witnessing the event are (from left) DAR Regional Director
Robert Anthony Yu, Pinabacdao Mayor Teodoro Mabag, 801st Bde
BGen Camilo Ligayo, Department of Interior and Local Government
Provincial Director Judy Batulan, and Police Provincial Director
PCol Peter Uy Limbauan. (JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA) |
Press Release
November 23, 2021
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar
– In support of the government’s Whole-of-Nation approach to End
Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), pursuant to Executive Order
No. 70, s. 2018, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned over
to the provincial government of Samar the three-hectare lot intended
for socialized housing for the Peace and Prosperity Village in
Pinabacdao, Samar, last November 16, 2021.
The Bureau of Land Tenure
Improvement (BLTI) Director Romeo L. Reyes from DAR Central Office,
assisted by DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director Atty. Robert
Anthony P. Yu, handed over the Deed of Transfer and the land title
to Governor Reynolds Michael T. Tan.
This significant event was
witnessed by Pinabacdao Mayor Teodorico S. Mabag and the members of
the Provincial Task Force-ELCAC, during their regular meeting at the
Samar State University, Catbalogan city.
The said lot is in
Barangay Catigawan, an upland village in the municipality of
Pinabacdao, which is about three kilometers away from the national
highway.
Regional Director Yu
emphasized in his message that this turnover event is a meaningful
way for DAR to fulfill its constitutional mandate of promoting
social justice, which happened to be in line with the objectives of
the ELCAC. He further highlighted how DAR was able to effectively
attribute part of its existing budget in order to support and
bolster the said Program by the government. He added that “DAR’s
effort does not end here. DAR will continue to distribute farm lots
to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) which will include
not only farmers but also farmer rebel returnees and agricultural
graduates in the area.
RD Yu ended his speech by
mentioning key DAR officials that made this project possible. These
are, former Secretary John R. Castriciones; Acting Secretary Bernie
F. Cruz; Under Secretaries Atty. Elmer N. Distor, Atty. Luis
Meinrado C. Pañgulayan, and Atty. David D. Erro, and Assistance
Secretary Engr. Joey G. Sumatra.
Governor Tan express his
gratitude by saying, “I am very happy na yung pinag-uusapan natin
years ago, even before the pandemic, finally narito na.” He assured
the members of the PTF-ELCAC that “The provincial government, the
office of Congresswoman Sharee Ann Tan, and of course the
ever-supportive mayor will be working together for the realization
of all the plans that we have laid out for our programs especially
those relevant to ELCAC.”
Mayor Mabag, likewise
expressed thanks to the DAR as well as to Governor Tan and Samar’s
Second District Representative, Hon. Sharee Ann Tan, for the
realization of the Peace and Prosperity Village in his municipality.
