PALAUIG, Zambales — Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones took one step further when he delivered Thursday, July 2, a land title to a farmer-beneficiary right in the middle of his farm in Barangay Pangolingan here.

Castriciones drove all the way from his office in Quezon City up to here to hand to the Delos Reyes siblings, Anthony, Nimrod and Georgia, their respective Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs), each covering 7,500 square meters.

“Be happy for today I am giving you your most awaited land title,”  Castriciones told Anthony, 38, who was totally surprised at the sudden turn of event in his life. He was attending to his carabao named “Beauty” in the middle of the farm he did not expect to become finally his at that very moment when Castriciones handed the title to him.

“Maraming salamat po. Nawa’y humaba pa ang buhay po ninyo para makatulong sa marami pang katulad ko,” Anthony said.

Castriciones proceeded to a nearby village to bring to Delos Reyes’ younger brother, Nimrod, and sister, Georgia, the good news.

“Today, the farms you are tilling are now yours,” Castriciones said as he handed to them their land titles.

Nimrod, 27, and Georgia, 21, turned emotional. Nimrod tried to hug Castriciones but held back when he was reminded of the government-imposed health protocol — social distancing — against the Novel Coronavirus.

Georgia, on the other hand, cried unabashedly after receiving her most cherished dream.

The DAR chief later went to the nearby barangay covered court to hand to 11 other beneficiaries their respective CLOAs. All in all, 22 hectares of farmlands in the same Barangay Pangolingan were distributed to them.

Castriciones had only a piece of advice for the new landowners: “Do not sell or pawn your farmlots. It symbolizes new hope, restores your dignity and regains your freedom from bondage.”

The “DAR-to-door” CLOA distribution is the agency’s way of showing to the farmer-beneficiaries its commitment to fast track the government’s land acquisition and distribution scheme under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, in compliance with the directive of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Atty. Castriciones stressed.

Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane witnessed the handover along with DAR Undersecretaries Emily Padilla of the Support Services Office and Virginia Orogo of the Policy, Planning and Research Office, Assistant Secretary Ubaldo Sadiarin of Foreign-Assisted Special Project Office, Central Luzon director Ma. Celestina Tam and Zambales provincial agrarian reform officer Eric San Luis and their staff.

Last Wednesday, Castriciones also handed Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) at the doorstep of farmer-beneficiaries in Siniloan, Laguna, which won him the heart and mind of the rural folks. – DAR