TANAY, Rizal (March 14, 2024)— Forty-seven (47) agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) finally received from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) their farmlands through certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) in Barangay San Luis, Antipolo City after 14 years of judicial battles against a private corporation.
The said CLOAs cover landholdings formerly owned by the Philippine Guarantee Corporation.
DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Kazel Celeste said the reason for the long-delayed distribution of the land was due to the landowner’s petition to exempt the property from the coverage under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) stating that the lands are not suited for agriculture.
Celeste said the petition was denied by the DAR CALABARZON Regional Director and was affirmed by the Office of the DAR Secretary, the Office of the President, and the Court of Appeals.
“After a long and tedious legal battle between the farmers and the landowner, coverage of the landholding under CARP finally prevailed,” said Celeste.
Celeste explained that the Land Bank of the Philippines issued a Memorandum of Valuation and eventually a Certificate of Deposit in the name of the landowner, paving the way for the transfer
of title in the name of the Republic of the Philippines.
The 47 ARBs were overjoyed as the DAR, led by Celeste and DAR Regional Director Macdonald Galit, finally distributed the CLOAs to them.
“I was so happy when I received the CLOA. After many battles, the land is finally ours. Thank you, President Marcos, and thank you too to the DAR for fighting for our rights,” said ARB Romulo Perez, speaking on behalf of her fellow ARBs.
Celeste congratulated the new landowners for they are now freed from the burden of paying the rentals for land use and from the fear of getting ejected as tenants.
“The CLOAs are proof that they are now the owners of the land they have been tilling given by the government through the DAR,” Celeste said.
The CLOA Distribution was held at the Tanay municipal covered court.
