A total of 1,229 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from the six provinces in the Bicol Region will receive their electronic land titles (e-titles) under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project, a Department of Agrarian Reform in Bicol (DAR-5) official said on Thursday.

Geri Buensalida, DAR Bicol spokesperson, said the beneficiaries will receive their e-tiles in a ceremony at Pili town in Camarines Sur on Friday.

“The distribution of the e-titles for the ARBs will also coincide with the signing of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the new Agrarian Emancipation Act that can be viewed via live streaming from Malacañang Palace. This is a great success to our farmers and as well as to their families, they will now tilt their land,” Buensalida said.

He said of the 1,229 e-titles, 289 will be for Albay farmers; 249 for Camarines Sur I; 210 for Sorsogon; 141 for Masbate; 136 for Camarines Norte; 126 for Camarines Sur II and 78 for Catanduanes.

Under the SPLIT project, the DAR divides the awarded lands covered by a collective certificate of land ownership award (CCLOA) and gives agrarian reform beneficiaries individual e-titles.

DAR Bicol regional director Reuben Theodore C. Sindac said the e-titles that will be distributed cover 1,977 hectares of agricultural land in the region.

“By distributing individual e-titles to ARBs, the DAR seeks to empower farmers and unlock economic opportunities for them,” Sindac said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

In terms of land area, Albay has the most significant number of individual e-titles with 476.2019 hectares.

At 353.1582 hectares, Sorsogon came in second followed by Camarines Sur I with 327.1351 hectares.

Camarines Sur II and Camarines Norte finished with 264.0873 hectares and 263.2829 hectares, respectively, while Masbate arrived at 209.6602 hectares and Catanduanes with 83.7189 hectares.

“This initiative marks the government’s commitment to agrarian reform, and it is expected to bring significant benefits to the ARBs and their families,” he added.

With the parcelization of the CCLOAs and the issuance of individual titles, the beneficiaries will be installed on their designated lots, thereby improving land tenure security and asserting their rightful ownership of the land. (PNA)