A 77-year-old farmer in Catbalogan City, Samar is thankful for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the agricultural lot he has been farming for over 32 years was finally awarded to him.
Francisco Asuncion of Catbalogan City was only one of more than 5,000 Agrarian Reform beneficiaries in Eastern Visayas who received land titles from the President during the distribution of land titles and support services.
During the distribution, Asuncion thanked the President for fulfilling his campaign promise of providing lands to landless farmers and various services to strengthen their production.
Roque G. Meronio, a 52-year-old farmer who also received a land title from the President, also recognized the administration’s efforts to bring development to provinces through stronger public infrastructure.
Meronio shared that the completed uni-bridge projects in Brgy. Sigo and Barral II, Calbayog City have been helpful to the community, particularly in transporting agricultural products and sick people.
President Marcos turned over four completed PBBM bridges (Pang-Agraryong Tulay para sa Bagong Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka) to Southern Leyte, Calbayog City, and Eastern Samar with a total budget of P78.172 million.
Eastern Samar Vice Governor Maricar Sison-Goteesan also joined farmers in expressing her gratitude to the President as well as Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III for giving farmers the opportunity to finally own the lands they have been farming for years.
She also urged the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) to value the opportunity given by the government. In addition to the distribution of land titles, President Marcos led the distribution of P509.45 million worth of support services intervention to ARB organizations and communities such as farm-to-market roads, PBBM bridges, irrigation projects, and farm machineries.
In addition to distribution of land titles, President Marcos said farm-to-market roads are being constructed in Cabarasan Daku-San Agustin and San Agustin-Cangumbang both in Palo, Leyte, Brgy. Kawayan-Sto. Niño and Crossing San Roque-Sitio Kulapniton, both in Tacloban City.
President Marcos added the government has also provided more than 2,000 machineries and other equipment worth PhP10.28 million to 1,694 beneficiaries in Eastern Visayas.
“Dagdag po pa rito, sinisiguro ng DAR na may pautang pang-agrikultura na maaaring lapitan ng ating mga magsasaka para makapagsimula ng maliit na negosyo at mapaunlad ang kanilang kabuhayan,” President Marcos said.