6,000 farmers to get land titles

MANILA, Philippines - At least 6,000 farmers will receive certificates of ownership of the lands that have been awarded to them, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) announced yesterday.

DAR Secretary Rafael Mariano said these farmers had been issued writs of installation or documents ordering the DAR’s adjudication board to allow them to take possession of the lands awarded to them.

Mariano said the awarding of land titles would be completed before the end of the year or at the latest by the first quarter of 2017.

“They have been waiting for too long. Most of the writs of installation issued to the farmers date back to more than 10 years,” he said.

“Our objective is to ensure that all agrarian reform beneficiaries will be installed on the lands that were awarded to them,” he added.

Mariano earlier gave assurance that farmers would get the lands they rightfully own.

He also vowed to push for the approval of a law to acquire more lands for distribution for free or at the least cost to farmers.?