The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Wednesday distributed agricultural lands to 28 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Bulacan.

The distribution of emancipation patents (EPs) and certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to qualified ARBs comprised a total area of 25.5131 hectares.

The farmlands are located in the municipalities of San Miguel, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, Baliuag, Pulilan, Calumpit, Marilao, Bulakan and Balagtas.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Geraldine Yumul said this is an early Christmas gift for the selected ARBs who were composed of 20 male and eight female farmers.

“The (CLOA) is proof that they are now the owners of the land they have been tilling as given by the government through DAR,” Yumul said in a social media post.

She also said their agency is not only focused on the distribution of lands but also on giving support services to the farmers.

“As a mandate of the department, support services will continue to be provided for farmer-beneficiaries even after the distribution of titles to help alleviate their lives,” Yumul said.

She encouraged farmers to join cooperatives or establish their own so that they could fully experience all the benefits the government is pouring through farmers’ cooperatives and associations.

Last July 12, DAR-Bulacan distributed agricultural lands to 13 farmer-beneficiaries which covered 16.6542 hectares of farm lots in the towns of Baliwag, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, San Miguel and Calumpit. (PNA)