PALO, Leyte – More than P37.6 million of unpaid land amortizations, including interests, of 899 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) across Eastern Visayas were condoned with the distribution of 924 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) covering an aggregate area of 1,367.76 hectares during Saturday’s “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat para sa Lahat.”
This event, in line with the 68th birthday of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., gathered government agencies in one venue for each province nationwide, where the public can avail of their services.
In Leyte, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Assistant Secretary, Vinci Araullo Beltran, led the distribution of 501 COCROMs, at the Leyte Convention Complex, which discharged P24.3 million of debts of 500 ARBs from the towns of Abuyog, Alangalang, Barugo, Baybay, Calubian, Capoocan, Dulag, Jaro, La Paz, Leyte, Merida, Pastrana, San Miguel, Sta. Fe, Tunga, Villaba and the City of Tacloban. DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director, Atty. Robert Anthony Yu and Leyte’s fifth district board member, Atty. Carlo Loreto, assisted Beltran.
ARB Allan Murillo, 50, from Alangalang, Leyte, was overwhelmed to learn that he is no longer going to pay his remaining P43,320.96 unpaid land amortization. He expressed gratitude to President Bongbong Marcos for this development, and greeted him a happy birthday.
On July 7, 2023, the President signed Republic Act No. 11953, otherwise known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which condoned P57.557 billion principal debts of 610,054 ARBs across the country incurred from the land awarded to them under agrarian reform programs.
Meanwhile, Yu disclosed that 300 COCROMs were handed on the same day to 280 ARBs from Southern Leyte at the Southern Leyte Provincial Capitol Gym in Maasin City condoning P5.8 million of debts.
In Biliran, Yu added, 123 COCROMs were likewise handed at the Naval Municipal Gymnasium to 119 ARBs, erasing P2.1 million of unpaid land amortization.
Yu stressed that this condonation of amortizations for the awarded lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), contributes largely to the End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), a whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace in the countryside.
(JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA)
