DAR-EV chief directs MARPOs to take the lead in SPLIT implementation

MARABUT, Samar – “MARPOs should be at the forefront of the field validation process!”

This was the stern order of Atty. Robert Anthony Yu, Regional Director of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Eastern Visayas, to the municipal agrarian reform program officers (MARPOs) during the first quarter assessment of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project for the provinces of Western Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar held on April 17 to 19 this year in this town.

He explained that though field validation teams (FVTs) were hired to conduct the validation process, MARPOs should closely supervise them and take the lead.

Yu issued this order in reaction to the accomplishments of the above-mentioned provinces.

Though Northern Samar accomplished 116.55 percent or 2,588.65 hectares of its 2,221-hectare target in field validation for the first quarter, Western Samar was just able to accomplish 47.97 percent or 1,868.08 hectares of its 3,894-hectare first quarter target. Eastern Samar was also short by almost three percent as they were only able to meet 97.11 percent of its 3,499-hectare target by validating 3,397.98 hectares.

Since the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, Yu emphasized the significant role of the provincial and municipal implementers in achieving the regional target, particularly in field validation, which is crucial in the effective implementation of the SPLIT project since it is a pre-requisite in the generation of individual titles.

He reiterated the directive of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III to complete the validation of landholdings by the second quarter, except for Leyte, which has been given an extension until the end of the third quarter, considering the large volume of landholdings to be validated.

Meanwhile, in the registration of the electronically-generated individual titles (e-titles), Northern Samar accomplished 69.43 percent of its 517-hectare first quarter target with 212 e-titles registered involving 168 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Western Samar accomplished 30.49 percent of its 106-hectare target with 21 e-titles registered involving 16 ARBs, while Eastern Samar reported an 8.89 percent accomplishment against its 721-hectare target for the first quarter with 68 e-titles registered involving 62 ARBs.

SPLIT project, which is funded by the World Bank, subdivides landholdings covered by collective Certificates of Land Ownershp Award (CLOAs) issued under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for the eventual issuance of individual CLOA to improve land tenure security and strengthen property rights of ARBs. (MARVIN R. ORQUIOLA)