ARB urged fellows to give to Caesar what is due to Caesar

Tula-tula Barangay Chairperson, Municipal Assessor, LBP Representative, and Sorsogon DAR Provincial Officers poses with the ARBs who have just got their CLOAs.

MAGALLANES, Lope Galindes, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer held a CLOA Distribution on April 5, 2016 which was attended by ARBs from Barangay Tula-tula, Barangay Chairperson, Municipal Assessor, LBP Representative, and Sorsogon DAR Provincial Officers.

In this activity, thirteen (13) ARBs of 20.1021 hectares landholding in Brgy. Tula-tula, Magallanes, Sorsogon formerly owned by Macario King, received Certificate of Landownership Award (CLOA). Engr. Noli O. Olitin, CARPO-LTID discussed the do’s and dont’s of a recipient of CLOA and the only three ways to transfer the awarded land just in case they can no longer tend it.

“Land is life, this is a blessing that comes from God. Therefore, you should value it by making it productive. In that way, you will be able to pay tax and amortization,” Leonito M. Gaveria, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II said in his message.

The CLOAs were registered in 2014. That means, the payment for land tax will start in year 2014 even though the titles were received by DAR for distribution to ARBs only this year, 2016. The good thing according to Joeme A. Balonzo, Municipal Assessor of Magallanes is that the transfer of tax declaration from the landowner to the ARBs is free.

Felimon H. Gabuyo, Barangay Chairperson of Tula-tula reminded them to do their obligation to pay.

The CLOA which the ARBs received are scanned copy of the original which is kept by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).  Francisco M. Corcuera, LBP Representative explained to them how they can get the original copy. He also discussed the LBP’s system of paying amortization.

“As per record, this landholding amounts to ninety seven thousand pesos per hectare which you are going to pay in not more than thirty years. But because of the subsidy from the government, this will not be the amount to be paid by the ARB. Upon full payment, the LBP will issue a Certificate of Full Payment. Thereby, you can already get the original copy of your title, then the DAR will assist you in the cancellation of the encumbrance,” Corcuera said.

Pablo B. Belardo, an ARB of Melina Aldeguer was also there to received his Certificate of Full Payment from Corcuera for a parcel of coconut land with an area of 2.9996 hectares.

The work of DAR does not end in the distribution of land titles but it follows with the provision of support services.

“It is you who can help your LGU to become progressive through paying tax. DAR will assist you how you can make your land productive,” Samuel R. Ongcal, Jr., Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer I said. In support to what he said, Liza B. Repotente, CARPO-PBDD assured them that their group is going to be their next regular visitors in the farm in the coming days to give them technical support so that they will be able to make their land productive.

The activity ended with the message of thankfulness by Henry Gabuyo, ARB representative. “DAR was through with their obligation of distributing the land title to us. Now, it’s our turn to make it productive so that we can pay taxes and amortization. Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar. That is the way we can thanked the government for their effort,” he said.