President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has fulfilled the decades-long dream of farmers in Zamboanga Province to own land.
During the region-wide distribution of land titles and turnover of support services in the Zamboanga Del Norte Convention Center in Dipolog City on Friday, President Marcos personally gave more than 4,900 land titles and extended assistance to farmers of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.
“Narito ako kasama ang mga kawani ng Department of Agrarian Reform upang isakatuparan ang matagal nang pinapangarap ng ating mga magsasaka,” President Marcos said.
“Ngayong araw, mamamahagi tayo ng mahigit apat na libo at siyam na raang titulo para sa ating mga Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries mula sa Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur at Zamboanga Sibugay. Ang mga titulong ito ay sumasaklaw sa mahigit pitong libong ektarya ng lupang pangsakahan,” he added.
The President hoped the program would help further improve farmers’ lives.
Of the figure, 1,211 land titles were given to Zamboanga Sibugay; 2,211 to Zamboanga del Norte; and 1,534 to Zamboanga del Sur.
The President also turned over more than Php15 million worth of farming tools and equipment to increase production and ease the work of 15,773 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).
Of the figure, Php 3.6 million worth of machinery and equipment were given to Zamboanga del Norte; more than Php 9.1 million to Zamboanga del Sur and almost Php3 million to Zamboanga Sibugay.
The assistance is part of the sustainable livelihood support projects for rice and vegetable production, major crop block farming, chicken egg production, among others.
“Ang lahat ng ito ay naglalayong gawing mas masagana ang inyong mga sakahan, mapagaan ang inyong paghahanapbuhay, at mapabuti ang antas ng pamumuhay ng inyong pamilya.”
The President also expected the distributed land titles to inspire farmers and their children to continue helping the government maintain food security.
President Marcos personally visited the province of Zamboanga to see how local governments implement programs for the benefit of Filipinos.
“Gusto kong masaksihan mismo ang tamang pagpapatupad ng ating mga kagawaran at lokal na pamahalaan ng mga programa ng gobyerno, at masiguro na tunay na napapakinabangan ito ng ating mga kababayan. Iyan po talaga ang hangarin at dalangin ko para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino—ang magkaroon ng produktibo, maginhawa, at mapayapang pamumuhay,” he said.
The Chief Executive directed the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Land Management Services of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Land Bank of the Philippines, and all local officials of Zamboanga to speed up the process of land title distribution so that more farmers around the country will have their own lands.
“Palalawigin pa natin ito hindi lamang dito sa Zamboanga kung hindi maging sa iba pang sulok ng bansa upang mas marami pang benepisyaryo ang makinabang rite,” he said. |PND
