THE Marcos administration distributed 3,161 agrarian debt condonation certificates to farmer-beneficiaries in Pangasinan and were received personally from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 19 at the Narciso Ramos Sports gymnasium and Civic Center in Lingayen.

The total farmer beneficiaries in Region 1 were  3,558: 3,161 in Pangasinan, 246 in  Ilocos Norte, 34 in Ilocos Sur, and 117 in  La Union.

The distribution was implemented by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) one year after the enactment of Republic Act No. 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA).

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III started to implement the condonation of agrarian debt mandated by the NAEA by ordering the establishment of Condonation Response Desks in all regions and provinces in the country to validate the status of ARBs as qualified condonation beneficiaries listed in the agrarian reform registry of the Land Bank of the Philippines.

This historic event marks the country’s first initiative of its kind, relieving thousands of farmers of their debt burdens since they received land grants from the government.

DAR Region 1 Director Maria Ana Francisco said the act condones all unpaid outstanding loans, amortizations, interests, penalties, and surcharges associated with the allocation of agricultural lands under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), particularly settling of remaining debts owed to landowners for beneficiaries who received lands through the voluntary land transfer and direct payment schemes. (Eva Visperas with report from PIA- Pangasinan)

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