BAYUGAN CITY, Agusan del Sur, Philippines  – Farmers in the landlocked province of Agusan del Sur and newly created Bayugan City continue to benefit from government’s poverty alleviation program through the award of titles for tillable lands.

The government has started the distribution of the initial 67 land titles to 282 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).

The land titles cover an area of 460 hectares located at Barangay Katipunan here.

The ARB beneficiaries are members of the newly organized Katipunan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (KARBA).

Bayugan City Mayor Kim Lope Asis expressed hope that tilling their own land will encourage farmer-beneficiaries to be more productive.

“I am very grateful to our Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) partners for distributing the CLOA/titles to our ARBs. The land you are tilling can now be called your very own. I encourage you to utilize your land and plant them to various vegetables, fruits and other plants, aside from rubber and coconut trees that you have already planted. You should persevere and work hard. This way, you can give your family a decent living,” Asis said.

Region Xlll DAR Assistant Regional Director (ARD) Alejandro S. Otacan said the farmers should take care of their land.