The Department of Agrarian Reform has recently distributed Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) and land titles to around 6,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries in the CARAGA Region.
The COCROMs wipes clean the farmers’ P423 million in agrarian debt or unpaid amortization, finally allowing the farmers to secure full ownership of their government-awarded lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
Carried out under the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (RA 11953), the distribution of the COCROMs formally cleared amortizations, interests, and surcharges that burden the farmers.
Alongside debt condonation, DAR also turned over P1.5 million worth of farm machinery and equipment (FME) to boost rice production and reduce harvesting costs. Among these was a rice combine harvester awarded to the Tagasaka Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) program, expected to lower costs and improve efficiency for cooperative members.
Under the World Bank-supported Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, 4,342 farmers received 6,081 electronic land titles covering 10,130 hectares, strengthening tenure security and encouraging productivity.
Meanwhile, 373 ARBs were awarded 261 certificates of landownership award (CLOAs) through DAR’s regular Land Acquisition and Distribution program, and 52 ARBs received 101 hectares under Executive Order No. 75, which turns over idle government lands suitable for farming.
On behalf of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III, Field Operations Undersecretary Kazel Celeste, Undersecretary Josef Angelo Martires, and DAR-CARAGA Regional Director Merlita Capinpuyan led the distribution of land titles, COCROMs, and farm equipment.
Celeste lauded the milestone as a victory for farmers’ decades-long struggle. ‘This is a victory for the hard work and sacrifices of our farmers. The land titles, COCROMs, and machinery we are awarding today are proof that DAR stands with its beneficiaries,’ she said.
By simultaneously condoning debt, awarding titles, and providing farm tools, DAR demonstrates that agrarian reform is not only about land-it is about freeing farmers from financial burdens and equipping them for sustainable productivity.