SAN MIGUEL, Leyte – For the advancement of the abaca-based agribusiness project launched here on Friday, Agrarian reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman assured the security of tenure of the farmers involved.
Though Pangandaman was not able to attend the said affair, he sent Assistant Secretary Kashmir Leyretana to represent him and extend the necessary support the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) could offer.
Since DAR’s role in this project, which was initiated and funded by the office of Rep. Remedios Petilla of the first district of Leyte, is to secure the tenurial status of farmers, Leyretana promised that his office would protect the rights of the farmers particularly those covered by leasehold agreement.
Of the more than a hundred farmers involved in this project, 16 were identified to be direct agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). Four of them are holders already of emancipation patents (EPs) and three are recipients of certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) giving them full authority to the land they are tilling, while the rest are covered by leasehold contracts that will protect them from unjust ejection.
ASEC Leyretana was glad to note the inclusion of some ARBs in this project, which aims not only to increase abaca production of Leyte, but more importantly provide job opportunities giving additional income to the farmers.
