ILOILO CITY — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. distributed 2,588 land titles to 1,932 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from Panay Island and Guimaras at the City of Passi Arena on Thursday.
The electronic titles (e-titles) and Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) covered an area of 2,643 hectares.
“Each title grants freedom to our farmers. Freedom from debts, freedom to have a secure future for their families, and freedom to plan for a more prosperous tomorrow,” Marcos said in Filipino.
The President also highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to address the challenges faced by farmers and assured them of continued government support.
Data from the Department of Agrarian Reform showed that there were 251 CLOAs and 2,337 e-titles distributed to the ARBs.
There were 617 ARBs in Aklan, 74 in Antique, 524 in Capiz, 18 in Guimaras, and 699 in Iloilo.
The land titles for distribution were generated from new lands and the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Split) Project.
The Split Project aims to expedite the processing and parcelization of collective CLOAs into individual titles or e-titles to improve and strengthen tenurial security, as well as to create well-defined and clear ownership of lands for the ARBs.
On the same day, Marcos also turned over 51 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) to provincial governments in Western Visayas.
The vehicles were donated by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance health care access in the region.
“It’s built upon our thrust to improve people’s access to health care, especially in vulnerable communities and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” Marcos said.
Negros Occidental received 19 vehicles, Iloilo received 18, Antique received 7, Aklan received 4, and Guimaras received 3.
Each vehicle, valued at P2.120 million, is equipped with a stretcher, oxygen tank, and blood pressure monitor, among other medical equipment required by the Department of Health.
Since July, 416 PTVs have been distributed to local government unit (LGU) beneficiaries from all regions outside the National Capital Region.
Marcos also announced that his office has approved a budget of P2 billion this year for the acquisition of 1,000 more PTVs to cover all LGUs in the country.
“We promise one day every town and city will be equipped with fully operational PTVs and medical responders on standby,” he added.