More than ₱8 million worth of unpaid land amortizations have been erased for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Samar, following a two-day simultaneous distribution of Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROM) by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Region 8.
A total of 690 COCROMs and 100 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) were distributed, covering over 728 hectares of agricultural land across the cities of Catbalogan and Calbayog and 16 municipalities in Samar.
“We are so grateful for this help given to us by the President relieving us of our financial burden,” said Juliana Cabubas, one of the recipients, who received condonation for her 1,893-square-meter farmland awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
The simultaneous distribution was led by DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO) Segundino Pagliawan in municipalities including Basey, Marabut, Pinabacdao, Sta. Rita, and Villareal; Land Tenure Improvement Division Chief Lucena Mancol in Gandara, San Jorge, Sta. Margarita, and Tarangnan; and PARPO I Josefina Amande in Jiabong, Daram, Zumarraga, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Motiong, Paranas, and Catbalogan City.
This mass condonation was made possible through Republic Act 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which cancels unpaid principal amortizations, interests, and penalties for lands awarded under the agrarian reform program.
Additionally, 92 ARBs were granted CLOAs during the event. These include 87 individual electronic titles under the World Bank-funded Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, and five CLOAs for newly awarded agricultural lands.
Under the leadership of Secretary Conrado Estrella III, the DAR continues to champion equitable land distribution and secure land tenure as part of its mission to improve the lives of Filipino farmers.