Marcos Admin Wipes Out Dues of Over 5,900 Cagayan Valley Farmers

The Marcos administration, through the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), has cancelled the land debts of 5,870 farmers in Cagayan Valley.

The Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCRoMs), which nullify unpaid amortizations, interests, and penalties, were distributed on Thursday during a Regional Mass Ceremony held at The Capital Arena in the City of Ilagan, Isabela.

The event was led by DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III, Isabela Governor Rodito T. Albano, World Bank Mission Task Team Leader Kathrine Kelm, DAR Region II Director Primo C. Lara, and Cagayan Governor Edgar B. Aglipay Jr., along with other officials.

A total of 9,257 CoCRoMs were awarded to 5,900 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), covering an aggregate area of 6,389 hectares and condoning millions of pesos in land-related debts.

In addition, 1,005 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) received land titles through Emancipation Patents (EPs), Certificates of Collective Land Ownership Award (CCLOAs), and electronic titles (e-titles) under the SPLIT Project.

These included 307 EPs and CCLOAs for 249 ARBs covering 324 hectares, and 924 e-titles for 756 ARBs spanning 2,010 hectares.

Estrella said the move is part of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which forgives unpaid dues of ARBs and grants them land titles for full ownership.

Adding significance to the event was the official launch of “Abogado ti Mannalon”, a legal assistance initiative of DAR Region II that empowers farmers by providing accessible agrarian legal services. – Isabela PIO