The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has assured the public that it would guard against the wanton conversion of the country’s remaining agricultural land into other uses, including real estate development, following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ recent signing of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act. ADVERTISEMENT“The arable lands that we say must be planted on, we will have them planted on—we will guard them against conversion,” Pangulayan said. 11953 last Friday, condoning more than P57.56 billion in unpaid amortizations among 610,054 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) working on 1.173 million hectares nationwide. Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III had reminded agrarian reform beneficiaries that they could not sell nor transfer the titles to the lands awarded to them under the agrarian reform law for 10 years after receiving their titles. Pangulayan said DAR also aims to push for the economic empowerment of farmers through agricultural productivity, profitability and rural development.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 10, 2023 03:33 UTC