Thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Pangasinan gained stronger land tenure security and expanded access to agricultural support as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) delivered land titles, farm-to-market roads, credit, and other assistance during the ‘Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat’ on September 14 at the Robert B. Estrella Sr. Memorial Stadium in Rosales town.
Led by DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III, the Department distributed 1,133 electronic land titles (e-Titles) under Project SPLIT and 58 regular land titles, covering a total of 1,446 hectares and benefiting 1,147 ARBs.
The land titles provide farmers with greater security over the land they till and strengthen their opportunities to access government programs, credit and other support services.
‘Land ownership gives our farmers more than a piece of paper-it gives them security, dignity, and greater opportunities to build a better future for their families. The Marcos administration remains committed to bringing these services closer to our farmers and ensuring that agrarian reform goes beyond land distribution and leads to improved lives and stronger communities,’ the DAR chief said.
The DAR also turned over 87 farm-to-market roads (FMRs) worth P601.5 million, benefiting 31,480 ARBs. The roads were constructed under the Department’s Sustainable and Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs) project to improve farmers’ access to markets, transportation, and essential services.
To further strengthen agricultural production, the DAR turned over LandBank checks amounting to P6.9 million to nine Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) under the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP), benefiting 239 ARBs.
The APCP is jointly implemented by the Department of Agriculture, DAR, and LandBank to provide financing to ARBs whose organizations are not yet eligible for regular loans. The ARBOs, in turn, re-lend the funds to qualified ARBs for their agricultural production activities.
The DAR also provided P12.2 million worth of support services to the Bantog Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative, benefiting 295 ARBs, under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) program.
Meanwhile, the DAR, in partnership with other government agencies, delivered additional livelihood and agricultural assistance during the event.
These included the turnover of 1,675 tool kits worth P479,500 to 25 ARBs through a special project with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA); 35 solar irrigation pumps worth P134.4 million benefiting 27,800 ARBs; and fingerlings to an ARBO benefiting 12 ARBs through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
The DAR also partnered with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in distributing coconut seedlings to one ARBO benefiting 20 ARBs, and with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in awarding certificates of completion to 200 ARBs who finished the technical driving course.
Kathrine Kelm, Land Administration Specialist of the World Bank for the DAR’s Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT), also joined the event and congratulated the farmers who received their individual land titles. Jonathan L. Mayuga
‘This achievement is a testament to your perseverance and dedication. The land titles you received today represent an important step towards greater security and opportunity for you and your families,’ Kelm said.
The ‘Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat’ is a nationwide government initiative that brings together various government agencies to deliver essential services and assistance closer to communities, in connection with the celebration of the birthday of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The DAR’s participation highlights the Department’s continuing commitment to President Marcos’ vision of empowering farmers through secure land ownership, infrastructure, affordable credit, and productive agricultural support services.