Farmer’s grandson receives land title after 45 years

MANILA, Philippines — After 45 years of striving to own the land that their family had been tilling, a grandson of a farmer in Camarines Sur finally received the emancipation patent for the property’s title.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) announced yesterday that Salvador Solmiano Jr., grandson of the late farmer Felomino Solmiano, will own the 2.3-hectare land located in Barangay Telegrafo.

“Growing up, I witnessed the daily struggles faced by my grandfather’s family in tilling the land. I promised myself that I would carry on their legacy, because this land has been feeding our family for decades now,” Solmiano said.

He was one of the farmers who met President Marcos during a visit in the province.

“While I was waiting for my turn to receive a motorized banca from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, President Marcos approached me. I am grateful to our President for letting me speak with him at that moment,” he added.

Solmiano was one of the 1,172 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB) in Bicol who received electronic land titles from the DAR.

The New Agrarian Emancipation Act of 2023 signed by Marcos on July 7 condoned the P57.56-billion debt owed by 610,054 ARBs nationwide.

“I’m emotional today because my grandfather and father died without seeing their dream of owning the land become a reality. Now that I am about to turn 63 years old, I am overjoyed because I am one of the thousands of farmers from Bicol and around the country who have witnessed this historic moment,” Solmiano said.