(Photo courtesy: PCO)
QUEZON CITY, — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday, September 12, distributed land ownership certificates and debt condonation documents to over 1,300 agrarian reform beneficiaries, emphasizing his administration’s commitment to completing land reform by 2028.
During a ceremony at the Department of Agrarian Reform gymnasium in Quezon City, Marcos handed out Certificates of Condonation and Release of Mortgages (COCROM) to about 1,000 beneficiaries from Bulacan province, writing off debts totaling more than 270 million pesos ($4.8 million).
“This means that the beneficiaries of this program will be free from the debt of the land you are caring for,” Marcos said in Filipino.
Additionally, nearly 300 farmers from Nasugbu, Batangas received Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) covering over 230 hectares of agricultural land.
Marcos, son of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. who initiated the country’s land reform program, said his administration aims to finish distributing land titles to all beneficiaries by 2028.
According to the latest data from the Department of Agrarian Reform, over 136,000 land titles have been distributed nationwide, with more than 100,000 ready for distribution before the year ends.
The president urged beneficiaries to view the certificates as both a blessing and a responsibility, encouraging them to care for and develop their farmlands and livelihoods.
“You can expect that the entire government is here to support you and respond to the needs of the people,” Marcos assured the farmers.
The event coincided with the birthday of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrad Estrella, whom Marcos praised for his dedication to land reform efforts. (JVD/PIA-NCR)