FOUR widows in their 60s and 70s whose husbands were among the recipients of a certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) distributed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) were among 32 other farmers who finally get to cultivate their government-awarded land.
This after the DAR finally installed the ARBs during simple rites held in Ormoc City, according to a statement from the government agency.
Physically taking possession of the government-awarded land fulfills the land-transfer component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
Due to the delay in the actual distribution of land, many ARBs have already passed away, leaving behind their farm to the surviving member of the families; in this case, their widows.
Rosario Torlao, 65, was among the ARBs widows who get to inherit the land awarded by the government under CARP.
“I am now very happy, but at the same time sad because my husband is no longer here to experience this,” Rosario was quoted in a statement released by the DAR.
“This could have helped us a long time ago,” as she could not believe her family now owns an almost three-hectare lot, which used to be a sugar land,” she added.
In 1997, Rosario’s husband, Vicente, became a recipient of a CLOA covering a 2.9-hectare lot in Barangay Patag, formerly owned by the Larrazabals.
But Vicente, according to Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (Marpo) Artheiriza Manalo, failed to take full possession of the said land due to several agrarian issues and disputes until he died in 2013.
Aside from Rosario, three other widows, Teresita Caliwan (71), Asuncion Agcang (78) and Trinidad Solayao (77) were also installed as they likewise took over a lot of their late ARB husbands during the installation.
According to Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Tomas Martinez, the four widows were among the 33 ARBs, who now take full possession of their awarded lots after having been physically installed following DAR survey teams conduct of a perimeter survey.