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New agrarian law a ‘second chance’ to improve farmers’ lives: DAR

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. interacts with farmer beneficiaries as he presides over the Ceremonial Distribution of Land Titles to beneficiaries of the Agrarian Reform Law during a formal program held at the Heroes Hall in Malacanang Palace in Manila on July 7, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/07/08/20230707-marcos-agrarian-reform-jc-0344.jpg"/><figcaption>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. interacts with farmer beneficiaries as he presides over the Ceremonial Distribution of Land Titles to beneficiaries of the Agrarian Reform Law during a formal program held at the Heroes Hall in Malacanang Palace in Manila on July 7, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Saturday said the emancipation of agrarian reform farmers from around P57 billion of debt is a “second chance” for them to improve their lives.</p><p>Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Luis Pañgulayan said the newly approved Republic Act No. 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act strengthens the Constitution’s social justice program.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/07/23/new-law-frees-farmers-from-p57-billion-debt">Marcos signs law condoning P57-billion debt of agrarian reform beneficiaries</a></li></ul><p>The new law condoned the amortization of principal payments, interests, and penalties of 610,054 agrarian reform beneficiaries tilling 1.173 million hectares of land. </p><p>“It’s a second chance for the farmers ‘no, to improve their lives now that they are in a better position – wala nang drag iyong utang ‘no. Nasa kaisipan ng administrasyong ito na balewala ang titulo at ng pagtanggal ng utang kung walang support services ‘no. It’s a second wonderful chance in that context,” said Pañgulayan in a media forum in Quezon City. </p><p>“It is the policy of the state to provide land to landless farmers and regular farm workers. Wala namang nakalagay sa Saligang Batas na subject to payment by installment?” he added.</p><p>The DAR undersecretary, however, warned agrarian reform beneficiaries against selling their lands. The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988 prohibits such individuals from using their land titles to be mortgaged or sold, he added.</p><p>Support services and facilities are important, he said, and these would be the focus of the new law. </p><p>“May bago tayong titulong ibibigay, binura mo iyong utang – kapag walang support services and facilities and proper mindset, iikot lang iyan,” he said. </p><p>“What we’re trying to avoid here eh baka ibenta lang iyan uli sa mga haciendero dati o sa mga bagong haciendero. That will be the worst case scenario and that’s what we are trying to avoid. Binibigyan natin sila ng lupa dahil social justice mandate ito para umunlad ang kanilang buhay.”</p><p>In a media interview shortly after the ceremonial signing of the law on Friday, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said government support in terms of technical knowledge, cheaper sources of fertilizers, seeds, and other equipment can help prevent farmers from selling their lands. </p><p>&quot;Ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit ang mga nabigyan ng titulo ay ipinagbibili agad ang lupa nila, kasi wala silang pambayad ng inputs, hindi sila makautang, wala silang pagkukuhanan ng binhi,&quot; the President said. </p><p>&quot;Kapag titulo lang ang binigay mo at walang ibang suporta, mangyayari talaga, mula nang wala silang maisaka, mangungutang na naman sila doon sa dating may-ari, tapos hindi makabayad, pinapakyaw na naman ang kanilang produkto,&quot; he added. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2711144" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a><br/> </div>

The Department of Agrarian Reform said the emancipation of farmers from around P57 billion of debt is a “second chance” for them to improve their lives.

New agrarian law a ‘second chance’ to improve farmers’ lives: DAR

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New agrarian law a ‘second chance’ to improve farmers’ lives: DAR

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 08, 2023 05:09 PM PHT

Read More:

New agrarian emancipation law

Agrarian laws

agrarian reform

Department of Agrarian reform

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