DUMAGUETE CITY – A total of 5,549 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Oriental received financial reprieve as they were awarded 6,707 Certificates of Condonation and Release of Mortgage (CoCRoMs) during a ceremony held on November 16, 2024, at the Plenary Hall, Convention Center.
The CoCRoMs cover a vast 71,580.42 hectares of agricultural land and effectively absolve the ARBs from paying ₱727,750,154.39 in agrarian debt, a move hailed as transformative by government officials.
“This significant act will ensure the economic independence of our farmers,” said DAR-Central Visayas Regional Director Atty. Sheila B. Enciso.
She emphasized that the CoCRoMs distribution is part of the nationwide implementation of Republic Act No. 11953, also known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA), which aims to empower the agricultural sector and enhance the livelihoods of Filipino farmers.
The beneficiaries of the CoCRoMs come from various towns and cities, including La Libertad, Bindoy, San Jose, Bacong, Dauin, and Zamboanguita.
In addition to the CoCRoMs, Enciso highlighted other land distribution achievements during the event.
These included the issuance of 75 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to 98 ARBs, covering 73.13 hectares, and the distribution of 2,225 Electronic Titles (E-Titles) to 1,642 ARBs, covering 2,269.53 hectares of land.
Manuel Galon, the Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer, noted that this marks a turning point for ARBs who previously held collective titles distributed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
“Now, they possess individual land titles, which reinforce their ownership and security.”
The e-title recipients hailed from various areas across the province, including Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Bais City, Tanjay City, Bayawan City, and smaller municipalities such as Vallehermoso, Jimalalud, Ayungon, and Siaton, among others.
This event underscores the government’s commitment to advancing agrarian reform and fostering economic empowerment for Filipino farmers.