In a significant move to support agrarian reform, the Department of Agrarian Reform in Caraga (DAR-13) distributed 5,898 land titles to beneficiaries across the region in 2024, covering more than 10,000 hectares of agricultural land. The initiative was highlighted by Regional Director Merlinda Capinpuyan and Assistant Regional Director Joey Ceballos during a press conference on January 20, 2025.
The distribution of land titles was marked by several key events throughout the year, including a notable ceremony on February 16, attended by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III. Further distributions took place on November 12 and November 23.
The recipients of the land titles included 5,487 beneficiaries who received electronic titles through the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Project SPLIT), 386 under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), and 25 under Executive Order No. 75, which focuses on distributing government-owned agricultural lands.
The majority of the beneficiaries hailed from Agusan del Sur, with 2,563 recipients, followed by Surigao del Sur (1,914), Agusan del Norte (734), Surigao del Norte (670), and Dinagat Islands (17).
In addition to the land titles, DAR-13 also announced the condonation of PHP469.8 million in loans for 10,509 agrarian reform beneficiaries under Republic Act No. 11953, known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act. This act resulted in the issuance of 13,169 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs). Of these, 9,239 certificates were distributed to 7,606 beneficiaries last year, totaling PHP299.9 million, with the remaining certificates scheduled for distribution in the current year.
The New Agrarian Emancipation Act not only cancels unpaid amortizations, including interest and penalties, but also exempts beneficiaries from estate tax payments on the awarded agricultural lands under CARP.