President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday pledged to complete the distribution of land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries by next year, after more than 400,000 titles covering over 500,000 hectares were distributed in the past four years.
Marcos made the commitment in his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona), where he also said the government expects to complete this year the cancellation of debts of agrarian reform beneficiaries.
‘To give agrarian reform beneficiaries peace of mind, we have continuously distributed the land titles awarded to them,’ Marcos said.
‘Over the past four years, we have distributed more than 400,000 land titles covering a total of over 500,000 hectares. We will complete the distribution of these titles next year,’ he added.
The President said some beneficiaries had waited between 30 and 60 years for their land titles.
For some families, he said, the wait stretched across generations, with grandchildren eventually receiving titles intended for beneficiaries.
‘Many beneficiaries waited 30 to 60 years. Some were fortunate enough to witness the issuance of their land titles. But because of the long delay, in some cases it was already their grandchildren who received them.’
Debt cancellation this year
Apart from land titles, Marcos said freeing agrarian reform beneficiaries from debt was also important to providing them with greater security.
‘Equally important to them is the security that comes from being freed from debt,’ he said.
Marcos then committed to completing the ongoing cancellation of agrarian reform beneficiaries’ debts this year.
‘That is why you can expect us to complete the cancellation of our agrarian reform beneficiaries’ debts this year.’
The President said support from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) would continue even as the government moves to complete land-title distribution and debt cancellation.
He cited irrigation, roads, machinery and loans among the forms of assistance being provided to agrarian reform beneficiaries.
‘Despite these efforts, the Department of Agrarian Reform will continue supporting agrarian reform through irrigation, roads, machinery, and loans for its beneficiaries,’ Marcos vowed.
The president likewise urged Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III to continue leading the department’s work.