The biggest in the region
TACLOBAN CITY — In what officials describe as one of the biggest land administration efforts in the region in recent years, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Leyte is targeting the reconstitution and registration of 42,000 hectares of agrarian reform lands in 2026 under the government’s Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Project SPLIT).
The figure represents more than half of Eastern Visayas’ total 76,000-hectare target, placing Leyte at the forefront of the region’s land titling overhaul.
Project SPLIT is a nationwide program that aims to subdivide collectively awarded Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) and issue individual electronic titles (e-titles) to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
The initiative addresses long-standing problems stemming from collective land ownership, which in many cases resulted in unclear boundaries, internal disputes among farmer-beneficiaries, and difficulties in transferring or inheriting land rights.
Under past agrarian reform programs, large tracts of land were distributed to groups of farmers under a single collective title. While this accelerated land distribution, it also created administrative and legal complications over time.
Without clearly defined individual landholdings, many beneficiaries faced obstacles in securing bank loans, accessing government support services, or maximizing the economic potential of their farms.
Through parcelization and title reconstitution, Project SPLIT seeks to strengthen land tenure security and formalize individual ownership, thereby enabling farmers to use their land titles as collateral and invest in productivity-enhancing inputs.
DAR Leyte recently convened its Project SPLIT personnel for a strategic planning session to align operational targets and address technical and legal challenges.
Reconstitution activities include validation of beneficiary lists, subdivision and relocation surveys, completion of documentary requirements, and coordination with the Land Registration Authority for the issuance of e-titles.
Leyte has a major responsibility this year, not only to meet its target but also to help the region restore vital land records and ensure beneficiaries receive secure individual titles,” the office said, underscoring the province’s central role in the 2026 implementation.
Project SPLIT is funded by the World Bank with a total project cost of P24.62 billion. Of this amount, P19.24 billion represents loan proceeds, while P5.38 billion is the Philippine government’s counterpart funding.
In Eastern Visayas alone, more than P1 billion has been allocated to carry out the parcelization and titling process.
DAR officials said intensified field operations and inter-agency coordination are crucial to meet the ambitious target, stressing that the program is not merely about paperwork but about unlocking economic opportunities for thousands of farmer-beneficiaries across Leyte and the rest of the region.
JOEY A. GABIETA
