The Department of Agrarian Reform is now conducting land validation in Milagros town, Masbate with the aim to distribute the remaining 303 hectares of the Yulo Estate to landless farmers.
“The results from this validation will tell us if the DAR can put the entire area under the agrarian reform program. Only then can we proceed to process the land for distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries,” Bicol regional director Rodrigo Realubit said.
The validation came about after a meeting of Realubit with Philippine National Police Brig. Gen. Bart Bustamante. Realubit to discuss the expansion of the land distribution program in Masbate province, particularly the remaining 303 hectares of the Yulo Estate in Milagros.
He said the land could be distributed to farmer-beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
The PNP pledged to assist DAR in the validation process up to the possible distribution of the remaining “CARPable” areas covered by the estate to the landless farmers.
“We are grateful for the PNP’s help. We really need them to assist us in keeping the peace when we talk to the farmers and landowners,” the DAR official said.
The 1,372-hectare Yulo Estate is divided into two parcels of agricultural lands in Barangay Matagbac with 1,019 hectares and in Barangay Sawmill with 261 hectares.
Based on DAR’s records, 1,069 hectares have already been distributed to CARP beneficiaries in 1998 and 2002.
Herald Tambal, provincial agrarian reform program officer, said his office has already marked the remaining 303 hectares as potential area “for subsequent distribution” while taking measures to resolve several critical issues affecting the land.
DAR is still in the process of validating or checking if the agency could put the entire Masbate, not just the Yulo estate, under the agrarian reform program.