The government has begun distributing the Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to a total of 6,000 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Nueva Ecija. 

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the distribution of certificates to beneficiaries in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija on Friday. 

Marcos hopes for the beginning of more productive and progressive lives for thousands of farmers in the area as they are free from the mortgages on the land awarded to them by the government.

The New Agrarian Emancipation Act mandates the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to distribute 9,832 COCROMs to ARB beneficiaries, translating to P276.7 million worth of condoned debts. 

This covers an equivalent land area of 10,445.19 hectares.

Marcos said relieving the farmers from these loans would help them recover from the damages they incurred during the onslaught of recent disasters that hit the province. 

“Sa tulong nito, maiibsan ang bigat ng inyong mga pasanin at magkakaroon ang lahat [ng] pagkakataong makabangon at makapagsimulang muli (with this help, you will be eased from suffering and you could have all the opportunities to get up and start fresh),” he said.

The government said an additional 4,640 ARBs in Nueva Ecija are set to receive COCROMs by October this year. 

This brings the total condoned debt for the ARBs to P511 million in Nueva Ecija alone. 

“Kami po’y naniniwala na sa pagwawalang bisa ng pagkaka-utang na ito ay giginhawa ang buhay ng ating mga benepisyaryo (We believe that cancellation of your debts would relieve the lives of our beneficiaries),” Marcos said. 

The President touted the ARBs will no longer have to worry about paying the land amortization. 

“Hindi na kayo matatakot na mawala pa ang lupang pinagkukunan ninyo ng pantustos sa araw-araw. Maaari nyo nang gamitin ang perang ipanghuhulog nyo sa lupa para sa inyong mga pangangailangan (You will no longer be afraid of losing the land that is your daily source of sustenance. You can use the money you drop on the ground for your needs),” he said. 

Marcos, meanwhile, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting the rights, welfare, and productivity of the agriculture sector.

In Central Luzon, Nueva Ecija has the largest number of ARBs and the biggest number of ARBs benefiting from Republic Act 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.

DAR said a total of 13,241 ARBs in the province will benefit from the measure.