A total of 875 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Bukidnon received their certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) during a simple ceremony led by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Brother John R. Castriciones held in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on Friday, June 25, 2021, comprising a total of 1,286 hectares of government-owned lands (GOLs).

The Secretary explained that the distribution of GOLs was made possible with President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing into law of Executive Order (EO) No. 75, Series of 2019, on February 1, 2019, which prompted the DAR to quickly facilitate the process of subjecting the said lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

"When you become a CARP beneficiary, you have to pay a specified amount for land amortization but if you are a beneficiary of E.O 75, it's free, you don't have to pay even a single cent,” Castriciones said.

He said that despite the pandemic, the DAR continued with its mandate and even visited various sites in the countryside to see that the implementation of CARP is on the right track.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Engr. Norberto R. Paquingan said, “Acting upon the executive order of President Duterte, DAR Bukidnon was able to identify government-owned lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture for distribution to qualified beneficiaries in the municipality of Talakag, Bukidnon.”

He disclosed that the area is a military reservation under the Department of National Defense (DND) and was negotiated for potential coverage under the CARP.

Paguingan said the beneficiaries of the awarded areas include members of the Lumad tribe in the province of Bukidnon and six agricultural graduates.

Talakag municipal Mayor Vergito O. Factura expressed his gratitude to President Duterte for signing EO No. 75, while Nilo G. Onduran, one of the GOL-recipient from Barangay San Miguel,, Talakag, thanked the government for the land he received and said that he now has high hopes that the farmer’s lives in the area would improve.

May kabuuang 875 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) sa Bukidnon ang nakatanggap ng kanilang mga certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) sa isang simpleng seremonya na pinangunahan ni Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Brother John R. Castriciones na ginanap sa Malaybalay City, Bukidnon noong Biyernes, Hunyo 25, 2021, na binubuo ng 1,286 ektaryang government-owned lands (GOLs).

Ipinaliwanag ng Kalihim na ang pamamahagi ay naisakatuparan dahil sa pinirmahang batas ni President Rodrigo Duterte na Executive Order (EO) No. 75, Serye ng 2019, noong Pebrero 1, 2019, kung saan napabilis ng DAR ang pagproseso ng mga nasabing lupain sa ilalim ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

“Pag kayo ay naging benepisyaryo ng CARP, kayo po ay kailangan magbayad ng natukoy na halaga bilang amortisasyon sa lupa, pero pag kayo ay benepisyaryo ng E.O 75, libre ito, wala kayong babayaran ni katiting na sentimo,” ani Castriciones.

Aniya, kahit sa gitna ng pandemya, nagpapatuloy ang DAR na ipatupad mandato nito at binibisita ang iba’t ibang lugar sa kanayunan upang siguraduhin na ang pagpapatupad sa CARP ay nasa tamang direksyon.

Sinabi ni Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Engr. Norberto R. Paquingan: "Batay sa utos ni Pangulong Duterte, tinukoy ng DAR Bukidnon ang mga lupaing pag-aari ng gobyerno na nakatuon sa agrikultura para ipamahagi sa mga kwalipikadong benepisyaryo sa munisipyo ng Talakag, Bukidnon."

Ang nasabing lugar ay isang military reservation sa ilalim ng Department of National Defense (DND) at napagkasunduan itong ipasailalim sa CARP.

Sinabi ni Paguingan na kabilang sa mga tumanggap ng lupa ay mga Lumad sa lalawigan ng Bukidnon at anim na nagtapos sa kursong agrikultura .

Naghatid naman ng pasasalamat si Talakag Municipal Mayor Vergito O. Factura kay Presidente Duterte dahil sa paglagda nito sa EO 75, samantalang nagpasalamat din sa pamahalaan si Nilo G. Onduran, isa sa mga nakatanggap ng ipinamahaging GOL mula sa Barangay San Miguel, Talakag, dahil sa tinanggap nitong lupa at naniniwala siyang mababago nito ang pamumuhay ng mga magsasaka.