220 farmers in Cebu now debt-free

Local

OVER 200 farmers in Cebu province have been freed from paying more than half a million pesos in land amortization debts, following the implementation of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.

A total of 220 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from the towns of Pinamungajan, Aloguinsan, and Toledo City were relieved from paying P502,468 in unpaid amortizations for 170.382 hectares of land, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) announced on Friday, May 16.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the debt relief is part of the nationwide rollout of Republic Act 11953, which aims to cancel over P57 billion in unpaid debts incurred by more than 600,000 ARBs across the country.

“This is not just about land, it’s about giving our farmers a better life,” Estrella said in a statement.

In Cebu, 157 ARBs in Pinamungajan, 52 in Toledo City, and 11 in Aloguinsan benefited from the program.

The DAR said the move would empower local farmers to improve their productivity and reinvest in their livelihoods.

Estrella said that removing the farmers’ unpaid debts is important because it allows them to move forward and improve their lives.

For years, these debts have prevented many of them from investing in their farms and increasing their income.

“We want to remove this burden so they can focus on growing food, supporting their families, and contributing to the economy,” he added.

For farmer Bienvenido Tango-an of Pinamungajan, the debt cancellation brings long-awaited relief.

“Malipay gyud ko. Sa wakas, dili na mi mobayad sa Land Bank,” he said.

Under the law, all unpaid principal and interest on lands awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) are deemed condoned, with no further payments required from beneficiaries.

DAR officials said this landmark policy is expected to ease financial stress among Cebu’s small farmers, helping them focus on farm development and long-term food production.

The New Agrarian Emancipation Act was signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 7, 2023.(TGP)