Farmers urged not to lease lands-DAR
THE DEPARTMENT of Agrarian Reform (DAR) once again reiterated that Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) must use productively the parcel of agricultural land by not selling, leasing or transferring the Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA).
“Farmers have to really exert effort to the awarded land. Hindi po dapat iyan ina ariendohan because come to think of it, when they lease back the land, it’s not going to give them money. its only to give them a small amount of money,” said DAR Secretary Rosalina Bistoyong.
The objective is for DAR to help the farmers or the ARBs cultivate the land to earn P15,000 to P20,000.
ARBs, being sole owners of the land should be the ones cultivating, producing, and be totally in charge of the land.
Lease of the lands awarded by DAR is illegal according which Bistoyong.
“The law itself provides a 10 year prohibit- ing period. Administrative Order No.7 Sec. 49 series of 2011 states violations such as illegal sale, transfer and lease of land are equivalent to penalties including charges and disqualification of ARBs from the program,” added Bistoyong
Addressing before hundreds of ARBs in the region Bintayong added there is no reason why farmer beneficiaries should sell these lands.
However, the law also allows selling or leasing of CLOAs provided they are sold to the next of kin or the spouse.