The Department of Agrarian Reform distributed Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCRoM) worth P816,688,884 to 6,125 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Negros Occidental who were represented by some ARBs at rites held at the Cadiz Arena in Cadiz City on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The DAR also distributed land titles to 2,902 agrarian reform beneficiaries covering 2,935 hectares in Negros Occidental.
Present at the distribution rites were DAR officials led by Undersecretary Jesry Palmares and Assistant Secretary Rodolfo Castil Jr. who were joined by Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante and Senator Francis Tolentino.
The CoCRoMs erase unpaid amortizations and debts incurred from the lands awarded to the farmers under the Operation Land Transfer (OLT) and the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) as granted under the Agrarian Emancipation Act.
The CoCRoMs cover 6, 413,67 hectares in Negros Occidental.
The distribution of land titles and CoCRoMs was a collaborative effort of DAR Negros Occidental 1 and 2, operating under the newly established DAR Negros Island Region.
“This partnership underscores the collective dedication of both offices to advancing agrarian reform, ensuring the successful delivery of land titles, certificates, and other support services to ARBs for sustainable rural development,” a DAR statement said.
The event at the Cadiz Arena was attended by 3,500 ARB representatives from Negros Occidental, who received their respective land titles and certificates.
Palmares, in his speech, said President Ferdinand Marcos pushed for codonation so the ARBs will no longer have to worry about paying bank debts and will have titles to land for their children to inherit.*