10 rice farmers in Ormoc receive CLOA from DAR

          ORMOC CITY – “Pasalamat ko nga nakadawat kog titulo. Pasalamat ko sa Ginoo nga naa na ko kaugalingon nga titulo.” (I am grateful I received a title. Thank you, Lord, I now have my own title.)

          These were the words of Ernesto Bolakinia, who was obviously happy to receive his Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) from Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Ruben Rebato on Tuesday, August 9 this year, in a simple distribution rite held in Barangay San Jose, where most of the recipients reside.

          Bolakinia, 63, was among the 10 rice farmers in this city who recently received CLOA from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), making them now the owners of the land they are tilling.

          According to Bolakinia, who has six children and a recipient of a .6489 hectare ricefield, the land awarded to him will be of big help in sending his children to school.

          Another recipient, Ramil Catado, 42, said “Salamat kaayo nagkaroon kami ng sariling lupa na matataniman para sa aming hanapbuhay.” (Thank you very much we now own a land where we can plant for our livelihood.”)

          Catado, a recipient of 1.0255 hectares of land further said he is happy because they will now be relieved from giving shares to the landowner. “All the harvests will now be ours,” he stressed.

          Elenita Godin, a recipient of 1.8 hectares of land could not also hide her emotions. According to her, she is very much grateful because she never owned a land. Just now.

          Rebato disclosed that the 10 individual CLOAs covered an aggregate area of 6.8660 hectares previously owned by the Concepcion Espina Agricultural Corporation and Anito Ygot. The landholdings are situated in adjacent Barangay Guintigui-an in this city.

          As the 10 recipients are now considered landowners, Rebato and MARPO Aouda Colibao emphasized their obligations as agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) including the payment of land amortizations and the real property taxes.

          They were likewise encouraged to join agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) to avail of the various support services extended by DAR. ###