DAR completes distribution of Luisita land certificates

MANILA, Philippines - The government has completed the distribution of land certificates to farmer-beneficiaries of Hacienda Luisita, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said yesterday.

DAR Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes said the last batch of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) were handed to the beneficiaries in Barangay Mapalacsiao.

“It is the last of the 10 barangays in the Luisita estate to receive their CLOAs in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling. This was done on schedule despite the damage caused by Typhoon Santi to the area,” Delos Reyes said.

Some 663 of 745 farmer-beneficiaries received certified true copies of their CLOAs in simple ceremonies held at the village hall of Barangay Mapalacsiao.   

Data from DAR showed that a total of 5,718 CLOAs were distributed to farmer-beneficiaries,  out of 6,189 copies of titles ready for distribution,  or 92.39  percent of the CLOAs registered to date.

CLOAs of other beneficiaries  are either being registered with the Registry of Deeds or are still not generated pending the signing by some farmers of the  Application to Purchase and Farmers Undertaking .

Delos Reyes said these figures would go up as beneficiaries who were not able to get their CLOAs during the scheduled distribution, have been proceeding to the DAR provincial office to get their certified true copies.

He said following the distribution of certified true copies of CLOAs, the DAR is preparing to install the farmer-beneficiaries in their lots.

“We will be installing them in their lots as we progress with the ‘monumenting,’” Delos Reyes said.

The DAR chief said it is impossible to install farmers at his time as many of the lots are still planted with sugarcane.

He gave assurance that this would be done when harvest starts this month so they would be able to clear the area where the “mohon” or markings will be placed.

Delos Reyes assured the farmer-beneficiaries of DAR’s continuous support, noting that as early as now the agency is testing and determining soil samples to be used as reference in the customized interventions and menu of support services to be offered to them.

The DAR started the distribution of CLOAs on Sept. 30 in Barangay Pando, which was followed later in the villages of Motrico, Lourdes, Parang, Mabilog, Bantug, Cutcut, Asturias, Balete, and Mapalacsiao.