The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said the public should not pit President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte against each other on matters involving agrarian reform, following issues on the Ati tribe members in Boracay Island, Antique.
“I just want to make it clear that the past and the present Presidents have done a lot for the agrarian reform beneficiaries,” DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said.
He said Duterte signed and issued Executive Order No. 75 of 2019 to cover unused government-owned lands directing all government agencies to turn over to DAR all government-owned farmlands and place them under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program coverage for distribution to landless farmers.
Under the Duterte administration, DAR implemented the Support for Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Project SPLIT) funded by the World Bank.
The project involves the subdivision of collective certificates of land ownership award into individual land titles.
The DAR chief stressed the administration provided more funds to DAR to provide support services to the farmer-beneficiaries.
The Marcos administration also signed the New Agrarian Emancipation Act of 2023 or RA 11953 to condone the unpaid amortization, interest, surcharges and penalties of existing loans of farmers.
The DAR canceled the certificates of land ownership of Ati members in a 1,282-square meter property in Boracay Island since the landholdings were not suitable for agriculture.
He, however, assured the indigenous peoples of a provision of government lands to the EO 75 to give each farmer one hectare to three hectares of land, and provide with all assistance and support services