ILOILO CITY — The Department of Agrarian Reform distributed 11,965 electronic land titles to 10,998 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Western Visayas on October 6, 2026. The ceremony at Iloilo National High School marked a significant step toward land tenure security for farmers across the region.
A Long-Awaited Milestone for Farmers
For Salvacion Panes, the wait lasted 28 years. She finally received her Certificate of Land Ownership Award during the distribution, describing the document as a significant help for her family's future.
Edison Planto of Banate, Iloilo, also expressed gratitude after receiving an e-Title covering nearly four hectares. He said the document gave his family land they could call their own and would provide greater security for improving their livelihood through farming.
Massive Distribution Across Five Provinces
The distribution covered Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling Project. This initiative provides individual land titles to farmers whose lands were previously covered by collective ownership documents.
Iloilo accounted for 2,741 e-Titles covering 3,596 hectares for 2,357 beneficiaries. Capiz received 4,181 e-Titles for 3,848 ARBs, while Antique got 2,705 titles for 2,701 beneficiaries. Aklan and Guimaras also received substantial allocations.
Additionally, 166 Certificates of Land Ownership Award covering 210 hectares were distributed to 107 beneficiaries under the Newlands initiative. This program further expands land ownership among qualified farmers across the region.
Supporting Long-Term Agricultural Growth
Individual land titles empower farmers to make long-term decisions for their farms. Secure tenure encourages investment in agricultural improvements, access to credit, and participation in government livelihood programs that require proof of ownership.
The activity also gathered 680 Barangay Agrarian Reform Committee chairpersons from Panay and Guimaras. They pledged commitment to support agrarian reform initiatives, reinforcing grassroots participation in the program's success.
Commitment to Agrarian Reform
DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the ceremonial distribution. The event formed part of the government's continuing efforts to recognize farmers' rights to the land they cultivate and provide opportunities to improve agricultural productivity and family welfare.
