Butuan city: The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 13 (Caraga Region) closes the year with the distribution of 8,800 Certificates of Condemnation, Cancellation, or Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) under Republic Act 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, freeing 12,169 farmers from decades of accumulated land debt.
According to Philippines News Agency, the milestone, covering 22,909 hectares of farmland across Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur, translated into PHP379 million in condoned obligations. For agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), the releases mean entering 2026 free of land amortization payments that have weighed on generations of farming families.
Agusan del Sur led DAR-13's accomplishments, issuing 2,405 COCROMs to 6,656 ARBs. The province cleared more than 14,270 hectares, amounting to PHP69.2 million in condoned debts. Surigao del Sur followed with 4,866 COCROM documents, supporting nearly 4,000 farmers, covering 6,958 hectares, and totaling PHP252 million in obligations. Agusan del Norte recorded 1,433 releases for 1,492 ARBs, while Surigao del Norte contributed 96 documents for 70 farmers.
For farmer-beneficiary Felipe Lepit of Agusan del Sur, the release was transformative. 'Receiving a COCROM is life-changing. Now, we are free from the long-standing payments,' Lepit said in an interview on Monday, as he also thanked the government for the program. He now looks forward to expanding crop productivity and strengthening the cooperative he leads, saying the document opened a future filled with stability and renewed hope.
Another ARB, Eduardo Madjos, 63, from Barangay Antongalon, Butuan City, shared Lepit's gratitude for the government program. 'Now, I can use my income to improve my farm by applying new farming technologies and procure the needed farm implements for increased productivity,' Madjos said.
The measure condones unpaid amortizations, interest, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs from lands awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III spearheaded the nationwide rollout, which has been hailed as one of the most significant agrarian reforms in decades.
In a statement on Monday, DAR Caraga Regional Director Merlita Capinpuyan emphasized that the accomplishment reflects more than statistics. 'This achievement symbolizes more than numbers; it represents families who can now till their land without fear of debt, young people who can dream bigger about their future, and communities that will grow stronger with every hectare freed,' she said.
