Farmers in Pampanga province will soon receive their own land titles as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) irons out the distribution of about 310-hectare unused government-owned lands (GOL).
In a press release on Wednesday, DAR Central Luzon Regional Director Arsenio James Ponce said they would begin surveying the properties of the Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) located in Magalang town so that they could immediately issue individual land titles to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
He said that a dialogue with the farmers of San Agustin town was recently conducted for a smooth and expeditious distribution of the land.
“Hinihingi natin ang buong kooperasyon ng mga ARB, at kanilang mga opinyon upang mabilis na ma-survey ang lupain. Pag-aaralan natin ang resulta ng napag-usapan upang ilalapat ang pinakamahusay na hakbang upang maipatupad ang prosesong ito ng mas mabilis (We ask the ARBs’ full cooperation and want their opinions on how we can survey the land faster. We will assess the result of this meeting and apply the best measures to implement this process quickly),” he said.
Ponce said the PSAU’s idle land would provide a livelihood to many farmers, thus, helping mitigate poverty in the countryside, and contribute to the country’s food security at the same time.
DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III earlier said the distribution of lands is in consonance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide farmers with agricultural lands to boost their economic lives.
The distribution of unused agricultural lands will be implemented through Executive Order No. 75. Series of 2019, “mandating all government offices to distribute public lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.” (PNA)
