DAR distributes Yulo Estate to 190 beneficiaries

THE Department of Agrarian Reform is set to distribute the remaining Yulo Estate to 190 farmers of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, including former rebels, in Masbate.

After the oath-taking of the 190 beneficiaries, the agency will be distributing the remaining 303.0467 -hectare Yulo Estate. Three of the beneficiaries were ex-members of the New People’s Army,

Herald Tambal, agrarian reform program officer II, said the land is a portion of the 1,372.5657-hectare landholding formerly owned by Luis A. Yulo in Barangay Matagbac in Milagros town, of which 1,069.5280 hectares were already distributed to 357 agrarian reform beneficiaries in 1993.

“The subject property was once classified as an agrarian revolutionary area for many years,” he said.

Despite the local rebellion, Task Force Yulo of DAR and the Armed Forces of the Philippines were able to successfully acquire and develop the land.

“The issues in the coverage of the landholding were resolved, including the delays in the conduct of the subdivision surveys due to the anti-reform resistance by local rebels,” Tambal said.

The task of the land distribution to qualified farmers is “inching toward realization” with the completion of the identification of the landholdings for distribution, perimeter surveying, and submission of the survey plans for approval by the task force.

Former New People’s Army guerilla Alyas “Bambam”, who surrendered and made peace with the government under the rebel-returnee program, is one of the beneficiaries of the government’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, assuring him a 1.8-hectare land.