P37.6M debts of EV
agrarian beneficiaries condoned
|
Some
899 agrarian reform beneficiaries across Eastern Visayas
received Certificates of Condonation with Release of
Mortgage (COCROMs) from the Department of Agrarian Reform
(DAR), freeing them from debt, during the conduct of Handog
ng Pangulo Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat held in every
province of Region 8. |
By
JOSE ALSMITH L.
SORIA
September 18, 2025
PALO, Leyte – More
than P37.6 million of unpaid land amortizations, including
interests, of 899 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) across
Eastern Visayas were condoned with the distribution of 924
Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs)
covering an aggregate area of 1,367.76 hectares during Saturday’s
“Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat.”
This event, in line with
the 68th birthday of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., gathered
government agencies in one venue for each province nationwide, where
the public can avail of their services.
In Leyte, Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) Assistant Secretary, Vinci Araullo Beltran,
led the distribution of 501 COCROMs, at the Leyte Convention
Complex, which discharged P24.3 million of debts of 500 ARBs from
the towns of Abuyog, Alangalang, Barugo, Baybay, Calubian, Capoocan,
Dulag, Jaro, La Paz, Leyte, Merida, Pastrana, San Miguel, Sta. Fe,
Tunga, Villaba and the City of Tacloban. DAR Eastern Visayas
Regional Director, Atty. Robert Anthony Yu and Leyte’s fifth
district board member, Atty. Carlo Loreto, assisted Beltran.
ARB Allan Murillo, 50,
from Alangalang, Leyte, was overwhelmed to learn that he is no
longer going to pay his remaining P43,320.96 unpaid land
amortization. He expressed gratitude to President Bongbong Marcos
for this development, and greeted him a happy birthday.
On July 7, 2023, the
President signed Republic Act No. 11953, otherwise known as the New
Agrarian Emancipation Act, which condoned P57.557 billion principal
debts of 610,054 ARBs across the country incurred from the land
awarded to them under agrarian reform programs.
Meanwhile, Yu disclosed
that 300 COCROMs were handed on the same day to 280 ARBs from
Southern Leyte at the Southern Leyte Provincial Capitol Gym in
Maasin City condoning P5.8 million of debts.
In Biliran, Yu added, 123
COCROMs were likewise handed at the Naval Municipal Gymnasium to 119
ARBs, erasing P2.1 million of unpaid land amortization.
Yu stressed that this
condonation of amortizations for the awarded lands under the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), contributes largely to
the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), a whole-of-nation
approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace in the
countryside.
