Gov't officials vow to help informal settlers in NegOr town

• Published date: 23 November 2022
• Publication title: Philippines News agency

Authorities on Wednesday assured farmers and other individuals in Barangay Napacao, Siaton town in Negros Oriental they will find ways to resolve a land conflict while also reviewing some of their petitions for inclusion in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

The assurance was made during a dialogue with Gov. Roel Degamo and officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, Commission on Human Rights, and other municipal and barangay representatives.

Manuel Galon Jr., Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARPO) 1, said there is a pending case on the inclusion and exclusion of CARP beneficiaries in the said village.

In 2016, the DAR installed and gave Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to 72 beneficiaries of the Cabrera Enterprises land holdings that were covered by CARP, he said.

'There was a petition filed for inclusion by farm workers of Cabrera Enterprises and at the same time filing for exclusion of other beneficiaries that they alleged are not farm workers of the same employer,' Galon said.

In the process, the DAR Adjudication Board (DARAB) in the province ruled that 54 were not qualified as they are not farm workers, while 18 were recommended at the time, he said.

The DARAB later said that only seven were qualified, but Galon said that during the dialogue that 18 were recognized.

'The decision has been elevated to the DARAB central (office) which reversed the local ruling due to questions over jurisdiction, thus the case was forwarded to the Court of Appeals,' Galon said.

The appellate court remanded the decision which was then...