Approximately 94 percent of the 11,000 target agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in MIMAROPA have been validated to receive the certificate of condonation and release of mortgage (CoCRoM) under Republic Act 11953, also known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA).
The new law, signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 7, 2023, condones all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs.
Under this law, DAR will issue Certificates of Condonation in favor of ARBs, which will be annotated on the Emancipation Patent (EP) or Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), as applicable.
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on June 25, DAR Regional Director Marvin V. Bernal said that DAR has already validated 100 percent of their ARBs in the provinces of Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan. Only the remaining ARBs in Occidental Mindoro need to be visited for validation.
“There is difficulty in validating in Occidental Mindoro because DAR personnel have trouble reaching ARBs who live in remote areas of the province,” Bernal explained, adding that once validated, DAR will proceed with the distribution of certificates.
“In the coming months, DAR, as a result of the validation, will issue the Certificates of Condonation. A document indicating that their debts to the Landbank of the Philippines have been forgiven by the government,” added Bernal.
DAR Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III earlier said that condoning ARBs on their financial burden will open doors and create opportunities to make their farms more productive, thereby resulting in greater financial security for farmers and food supply chain security for the Filipino people. (PJF/PIA MIMAROPA-Romblon)
