In a landmark event for agrarian reform in the Visayas, the Department of Agrarian Reform in the Negros Island Region (DAR-NIR) successfully distributed thousands of land titles and provided massive support to farmers during a ceremony in Bago City.
A Day of Empowerment for Island Farmers
The historic distribution took place on December 4, 2025, at the Manuel Y. Torres Memorial Coliseum and Cultural Center in Bago City, Negros Occidental. After being postponed multiple times due to Typhoons Tino and Uwan, the event finally pushed through, gathering a crowd of at least 5,000 participants.
Leading the activity was DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III, who was introduced by Undersecretary Jesry Palmares. The gathering included 4,500 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, alongside local officials like Negros Occidental Third District Board Member Andrew Montelibano and Bago City Mayor Marina Javellana-Yao.
Substantial Support: Land, Machinery, and Debt Relief
The core of the event was the distribution of 7,798 land titles to farmers. This bundle included 2,242 new certificates of land ownership award and 5,556 electronic land titles (e-Titles). In total, these documents cover 5,524.42 hectares of agricultural land, awarded to 4,788 individual ARBs.
Beyond land ownership, DAR-NIR delivered a comprehensive support package valued at P67.6 million. This assistance was given to 71 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries' Organizations and included vital resources such as:
- Cargo trucks and farm tractors
- Mini-tractors and a solar water pump
- A multi-role power station
- Organic fertilizers and various agricultural inputs
Perhaps the most transformative aid was the formal condonation of agrarian debts. The agency issued 15,000 certificates of condonation with release of mortgage to 13,822 ARBs in Negros Oriental. This action, under the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, wiped out a staggering P1.79 billion in unpaid land amortizations and accrued interests.
Transforming Land into Lives and Livelihoods
In her message, DAR-NIR Regional Director Lucrecia Taberna emphasized that the true goal of agrarian reform extends far beyond paper titles. She highlighted the office's journey from a small five-person team to a fully operational regional unit, with a mission to turn land ownership into real productivity and prosperity for the entire Negros Island Region.
Recognizing the recent challenges faced by the community, the DAR Central Office, led by Secretary Estrella, also extended P6 million worth of relief assistance to ARBs affected by the recent typhoons.
The ceremony held extra significance as it doubled as the celebration of DAR-NIR's first anniversary as an official regional office, marking a year of dedicated service to the farmers of Negros and Siquijor.
