DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has wiped out P584.55 million in unpaid land amortization for 4,202 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Oriental. The massive debt relief, formalized on July 10, 2026 at the Negros Oriental Convention Center, unshackles thousands of farming families from decades of financial burden and unlocks their potential to invest in productivity.
A Ceremony of Liberation
DAR Undersecretary Rowena Niña Taduran led the distribution of 2,630 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROM), documents that erase outstanding land loans and remove mortgage liens. The condonation covers 5,854.43 hectares of farmland, freeing farmers from payments that had long consumed their earnings. The event drew officials including Governor Manuel Sagarbarria and local congresswomen.
The relief extends beyond Negros Oriental. Taduran announced that across the entire Negros Island Region, P23.98 billion in farmer debt has been extinguished under the New Agrarian Emancipation Act. The law, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., absorbs the financial liabilities of ARBs so they can redirect income toward seeds, fertilizer, and equipment.
Farmers Speak of New Beginnings
Alex Bahandi, a 30‑year banana grower from Bindoy, received his COCROM with visible relief. He said the condonation means he can finally save money once spent on loan payments. Instead of servicing debt, he now plans to purchase fertilizer and tools, investments that directly improve his three‑hectare farm.
His story echoes across the province. Farmers who once feared losing their land to unpaid amortizations now hold clear titles and renewed hope. The psychological weight of debt, carried for decades, has been lifted. These families can now plan for the future rather than merely survive the present.
Titles and Machinery Boost Productivity
Beyond debt relief, DAR distributed 922 land titles covering 756.62 hectares to 556 ARBs. This includes 892 electronic titles under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, which breaks collective landholdings into individual ownership. Clear, individualized titles give farmers the collateral and confidence to invest in long‑term improvements.
The agency also turned over P7.355 million worth of heavy farm machinery to six agrarian reform organizations. Recipients include a combine harvester for the Bayawan United Farmers Irrigators Association and four‑wheel tractors for cooperatives in Canlaon City, Jimalalud, Tanjay City, Sibulan, and Sta. Catalina. These machines replace manual labor, slash harvesting time, and increase yields—directly boosting the local agricultural economy.
A Regional Caravan of Debt Forgiveness
The Negros Oriental event was the final leg of a three‑day DAR caravan across the Negros Island Region. Earlier stops in Cadiz City and Isabela condoned P7.3 billion and P6.65 billion respectively, bringing total regional debt relief to nearly P24 billion. The scale of the program signals a national commitment to agrarian reform that goes beyond land distribution.
Taduran reminded beneficiaries that true success is measured not by titles handed out but by families lifted from poverty through productive land use. The challenge now shifts to the farmers, who must transform their newly unburdened farms into thriving enterprises.
