The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will distribute thousands of land titles, condone nearly P1.8 billion in unpaid land amortization, and turn over P73.6 million worth of support services to farmers across Negros Island during a ceremony on 4 December at the Manuel Y. Torres Memorial Coliseum and Cultural Center.
DAR will award 7,798 land titles covering 5,524 hectares to 4,788 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor—one of the agency’s most extensive land distribution activities in recent years. The long-awaited titles finally secure land ownership for thousands of farmers who have cultivated these areas for decades.
The agency will also issue 15,000 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to 13,822 ARBs, clearing P1.79 billion in decades-old unpaid land obligations in Negros Oriental. The debt condonation is expected to ease a major financial burden on farming households and unlock greater economic opportunities.
To boost agricultural productivity, DAR will turn over P67.6 million worth of farm machinery, equipment, and agricultural inputs to 71 agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs). The support package includes tractors ranging from 40 to 115 horsepower, cargo trucks, solar-powered irrigation pumps, mini-tractors, and 13,500 packs of organic fertilizer. Nearly 4,200 ARBs stand to benefit directly from these interventions.
In addition, DAR will release P6 million in relief assistance to 5,913 individuals—5,675 ARBs and 238 DAR personnel—affected by Typhoons Tino and Uwan. The aid aims to help families recover from crop losses, damage to homes, and livelihood disruption.
DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III, who will lead the turnover ceremony, said the event, which is expected to draw more than 5,000 participants, reflects the agency’s intensified drive to deliver land justice, modernize farm operations, and strengthen agrarian communities across the Negros Island Region.
“Apart from providing support to our ARBs, our employees will also receive essential relief packages—including blankets, pails, slippers, flashlights, towels, coffee, sugar, and detergents—to help them recover and regain stability after the calamity,” he said.
Land Title Distribution:
Negros Occidental 1: 2,356 titles (1,058.855 ha) for 1,203 ARBs
Negros Occidental 2: 2,461 titles (1,849.8793 ha) for 1,573 ARBs
Negros Oriental: 2,981 titles (2,615.684 ha) for 2,012 ARBs
Support Services:
Total: ₱67,603,000
Farm machinery & equipment: ₱56,128,000
Farm inputs (organic fertilizer): ₱11,475,000
Total ARBs benefiting: 1,990 (machinery & equipment) and 2,227 (farm inputs)