Beneficiaries of 120 hectares CARP Land got CLOAs

DAR Sorsogon, LGU Donsol Officials, LBP Representative, and
the new Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries

THIRTY FIVE (35) farmers are now holders of Certificate of Landownership Award (CLOA) from the one hundred twenty (120) hectares of CARP Lands in Donsol, Sorsogon.

DAR Sorsogon held a simple ceremony for the CLOA Distribution held at the People’s Hall, Donsol, Sorsogon on November 8, 2016 which was witnessed by Hon. Josephine Alcantara-Cruz, Municipal Mayor of Donsol, LBP Representative, and Municipal Assesor.

“Our mission is to distribute the land covered by CARP, but it does not end here. You will assume the responsibility of the landowner in paying taxes since you’re now the owner of the land. You have to make the land productive to earn more. So, the role of DAR continues in terms of providing support services because our purpose is not only to make you a farm-owners but to transform you into entrepreneurs,” Leonito M. Gaveria, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II said.

Since these awarded landholdings are formerly owned by private individuals, the farmers should pay their amortization to the LBP. Rollie Dela Peña, LBP Representative, explained to them the manner of paying amortization and reminded them their oaths to the Municipal Judge before taking the responsibility of becoming an Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).

“It’s just like a cycle. From our taxes, the government purchases the CARP covered land, so you ought to return it by paying amortization and taxes. As the government receives your payments, it is used to fund projects for the benefit of our nation and the communities,” Engr. Noli O. Olitin, CARPO-LTID said.

He also explained that upon the LBP’s issuance of Certificate of Full Payment, they should bring the original copy of CLOA and the certification back to DAR so that they may be assisted in the removal of the encumbrance annotated in the title.

Likewise, Engr. Helen A. Garay, Municipal Assessor of Donsol explained to them how the Tax Declaration will be transferred in their names and that their paying of real property tax started at the date of registration of the CLOA. If the tax payment of a land is not updated, the taxes will be deducted from the proceeds of the payment in LBP.

“You are very lucky for having this opportunity. I wish I can also be an awardee of CARP land. Hopefully, this land can really help your family to move forward,” Mayor Alcantara-Cruz said.

To give them more ideas on how to make additional earnings, Liza B. Repotente, CARPO-PBDD told them to join in ARB Organizations so that they can avail the support services which DAR offers. She had mentioned the Village-Level Processing Center Enhancement Project in Bulan and other projects under the program beneficiaries’ development as example of how the DAR transforms the ARB and ARB Households into entrepreneurs.

“That’s why, do not ever sell the land awarded to you because that will be your passport to access more blessings,” Edmundo H. Fulleros, MARPO of Donsol-1 said.

“Money is easily lost. If you sell the land, and the one who buys convert it to other usage which is not agricultural, time will come that your children will have no more food to eat eventhough they have money, because if land is insufficient, how will the country produce food that will suffice the need of all the people? Definitely, you cannot purchase food if nobody produces and the land to grow food is very limited,” Alvin Luces, MARPO of Donsol-2 told them as a sort of advice.

Unlike the previous CLOA Distributions wherein the MARPOs just have the ARBs signed after taking the CLOAs, this ceremony was made so that both the ARBs and other stakeholders will have a deeper understanding of their roles with regards to the implementation of the three major components program of CARP. Particularly, for the ARBs to be aware of their responsibilities.

“I am so thankful to DAR because I got this land. Let’s make our land productive, let’s pay our dues. So what if it is not given free? Even though we have the capacity to buy it, without the DAR we have no way to have it,” Fe Tan, one of the ARBs told her fellows. ###