The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Thursday facilitated the distribution of 33,694 hectares (ha.) of land to 17,564 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in the Caraga Region during a ceremonial distribution in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Of the total land distributed, 19,394 ha. are in Agusan del Sur, 9,594 ha. in Surigao del Sur, 3,176 ha. in Surigao del Norte, 922 ha. in Dinagat Islands, and 608 ha. in Agusan del Norte.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the distribution of land titles to the beneficiaries, accompanied by DAR Caraga Regional Director Merlinda Capinpuyan, Agusan del Sur Governor Santiago Cane Jr., and Dinagat Islands Governor Nilo Demerey Jr.

The total number of recipient ARBs includes 8,965 from Agusan del Sur, 4,941 from Surigao del Sur, 2,312 from Surigao del Norte, 883 from Dinagat Islands, and 463 from Agusan del Norte.

“Thank you, DAR and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., for the release of my land title. Now, my family can say that we already own the land we’ve tilled for years,” said Alicia Calolo, 69, of Barangay Pulang Lupa, Trento, Agusan del Sur.

She noted that she had been a registered ARB for over 27 years and was thankful that the title for her nearly 2.2 hectares of land was finally issued.

Gil Villaceran, 64, of Barangay 5, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, also expressed gratitude to the government for the title to his 1.9-hectare land.

Estrella also transferred 289 units of various farm machinery and equipment (FMEs) worth nearly PHP40.4 million to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) from across the region. The FMEs included tractors, rice harvesters, drying and milling equipment, mushroom houses, and a set of tools such as sprayers, water pumps, and grass cutters.

Furthermore, 133 ARBOs from 58 towns in the region were provided with 23,588 bags of farm inputs worth PHP19.9 million.

The DAR also facilitated the condonation of the land amortization of 10,400 ARBs from across the region, covering 20,686 hectares of land worth PHP298.9 million.

“Importante po magkakasama tayo ngayon, bagong simula, bagong magandang kinabukasan, para sa ating lahat, lalo na para sa mga ARBs ng Caraga Region (What is important is that we are together for a new beginning and a good future for all, especially for the ARBs in the Caraga Region,” Estrella said. (PNA)