DAR rolls out mobile debt condonation desk in Ilocos
>> Sunday, November 12, 2023
DEBT CONDONATION – Dept. of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos
Norte personnel examine documents submitted by farmers in Barangay Pasaleng,
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte Nov. 6, for validation of landholdings subject for
condonation of agrarian debt. DAR is rolling out a condonation response desk to
facilitate issuance of condonation certificates to eligible
beneficiaries. (Photo courtesy of DAR Ilocos Norte)
By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY – A mobile condonation response desk is being rolled out in Ilocos Norte to reach out to around 149 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and help in facilitating the condonation of their debts incurred decades ago.
On Tuesday, a team from the Dept. of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Norte was in Badoc town to validate existing landholdings awarded to farmers that may qualify for the condonation of debts and amortization under Republic Act (RA) 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA).
Vic Ines, provincial agrarian reform officer of DAR-Ilocos Norte, said same team was in Pagudpud town Nov. 6 for the same purpose.
“We hope to finish the validation fast and be ready for issuance of a certificate of condonation to farmer-beneficiaries as soon as possible,” he said.
He said some of these debts, which included property taxes and surcharges, were incurred during the time of the former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., thus members of the condonation response desk are cross checking the information with a team from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
There are 25,442 certificate of land ownership award holders in Ilocos Norte.
After qualifying for the NAEA, Herman Ramos, president of the Pasaleng Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in Barangay Pasaleng, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, said the loan condonation eases the burden of going to and from the bank to pay their long overdue debts.
“We are so thankful to our President Bongbong Marcos (Jr.) for condoning our debts with Landbank,” he said in the dialect.
He added that they can now focus more on improving their landholdings instead of thinking how they can afford to pay their debts and other surcharges in the bank.
NAEA, signed into law last July, condones all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs from land awarded to them under voluntary land transfer or direct payment schemes.
Under the law, about 610,054 ARBs are expected to benefit from the law and would help the government attain its bid for food security.
The condonation covers an estimated 1.173 million hectares of land, with an estimated P57.55 billion in unpaid amortizations. It also ordered the outright condonation of the principal loan amounting to P14.5 billion. -- PNA
Vic Ines, provincial agrarian reform officer of DAR-Ilocos Norte, said same team was in Pagudpud town Nov. 6 for the same purpose.
“We hope to finish the validation fast and be ready for issuance of a certificate of condonation to farmer-beneficiaries as soon as possible,” he said.
He said some of these debts, which included property taxes and surcharges, were incurred during the time of the former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., thus members of the condonation response desk are cross checking the information with a team from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
There are 25,442 certificate of land ownership award holders in Ilocos Norte.
After qualifying for the NAEA, Herman Ramos, president of the Pasaleng Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in Barangay Pasaleng, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, said the loan condonation eases the burden of going to and from the bank to pay their long overdue debts.
“We are so thankful to our President Bongbong Marcos (Jr.) for condoning our debts with Landbank,” he said in the dialect.
He added that they can now focus more on improving their landholdings instead of thinking how they can afford to pay their debts and other surcharges in the bank.
NAEA, signed into law last July, condones all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs from land awarded to them under voluntary land transfer or direct payment schemes.
Under the law, about 610,054 ARBs are expected to benefit from the law and would help the government attain its bid for food security.
The condonation covers an estimated 1.173 million hectares of land, with an estimated P57.55 billion in unpaid amortizations. It also ordered the outright condonation of the principal loan amounting to P14.5 billion. -- PNA
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