170 thousands - hectare for CARP beneficiaries in Sultan Kudarat

Cotabato City – Around 173,000 hectares have already been distributed to 70 farmer-beneficiaries since the start of the agrarian reform program in 1988 in Sultan Kudarat.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Rodolfo Alburo  said the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)  has accomplished 94% of the province’s total land acquisition and distribution target of 185,000 hectares.

Alburo added that their office continue to deliver services and perform its functions amid news that agrarian program in the Philippines will end by 2016.

 “There is no letting up in pursuing our mandate of distributing farmlands and providing support services to the farmer-beneficiaries to improve the quality of life of the farmers,” he said.

Out of the 11 towns and 2 cities including Cotabato City, Columbio town is the top performer having  distributed  50,207.9526 hectares to 15,738 farmer-beneficiaries, followed by Palimbang, 40,944.5138 hectares to 15,361 farmer- beneficiaries, and   Senator Ninoy Aquino  26,919.9755 hectares to 9,007 farmer-beneficiaries.

He explained that these towns are among the resettlement areas declared by the government under the Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran Land Resource Management program during the time of the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos.

Last month, DAR distributed certificates of land titles covering 3,381.60 hectares in Batang Bagras, Palimbang, hoping it would also boost the economic lives of the new landowners.(S. Sinsuat and J. Dael)