Christmas came early for thousands of farmers in Quezon Province, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the distribution of 11,500 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROM) to more than 9,800 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and e-titles covering more than 31 hectares of land to 15 beneficiaries.

“Layunin po ng DAR, sa ilalim ng kanilang tinatawag na SPLIT project, na iparte-parte sa inyo ang mga collective CLOA na una nang naipagkaloob sa inyo. Sa gayon, magkakaroon na po kayo ng sarili ninyong titulo sa lupang inyong sinasaka sa wakas (It is DAR's goal, under their so-called SPLIT project, to distribute to you the collective CLOAs that were previously granted to you. That way, you will finally have your own title to the land you are farming)," Marcos Jr. said in his speech at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City on 29 November.

The 15 e-titles bring the total number of beneficiaries to more than 600 in Quezon Province since the distribution started in July 2022.

He lauded farmer-beneficiaries for their sacrifices and hard work to meet the needs of communities, even during bad weather.

“Hindi namin matatawaran ang pagsisikap at sakripisyo ninyo sa araw-araw. Kaya’t ang hangad namin ay mabigyan kayo ng ginhawa [sa] buhay (We cannot appreciate enough your efforts and sacrifices on a daily basis. So our desire is to give you comfort [in] life),” Marcos said.

The government, he added, has increased its assistance and services to Filipinos.

“Under the Republic Act—this is what I mentioned—that Republic Act No. 11953, the so-called New Agrarian Emancipation Act, the more than four hundred and forty million pesos owed by the ARBs here in the province of Quezon has been erased, including the amortization, including the interest, including the surcharge,” he said in Filipino.

Marcos told Quezon farmers that he and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III know they have been waiting for a long time; hence, they insist on speeding up the issuance of their titles so that it is clear what is theirs, what they will farm, and whatever they harvest is also theirs.

“Hindi niyo na po kailangan pang alalahanin ang mga babayaran ninyo kaugnay sa inyong lupang sinasaka. Ang iisipin na lamang ninyo kung paano ninyo mapapalago ang lupang inyong pinangangalagaan. Sa pagwawalang-bisa ng mga bayaring kaugnay sa lupang pansakahan ay maiipon ninyo ay maaaring gamitin para upang mapalago ang inyong kabuhayan (You don’t have to worry about what you will pay in relation to your farmland. With the cancellation of fees related to agricultural land, you will save money that can be used to grow your livelihood),” he said, adding that it is the government’s desire that the certificates pave the way for the comfort and prosperity of ARBs.

He expressed hope that farming will be even more vigorous now in Quezon, which is known for products such as coconut, corn, bananas, pineapple, and coffee.

This is just one of the many programs of our government for Filipino farmers.

The President, accompanied by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., DAR Secretary Estrella, and Senator Francis Tolentino, among other government officials, also distributed seedlings and farm equipment.

He called on DAR, DA, and other government agencies, including the local government, to work together to help farmers cultivate their knowledge and skills.

“We need to guide them in modern farming methods and equipment,” he said.

He thanked the World Bank for partnering with the DAR in its implementation. “To our farmers, may you use our offering not only for your development but also for the advancement of your community and the province of Quezon, and that includes the entire Philippines,” he said in Filipino. “I also want to encourage our countrymen to help our farmers in food production.”