DAR frees 12.1K Caraga farmers from decades of land debt

BUTUAN CITY (December 23) — More than 12,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the Caraga Region are set to enter 2026 debt-free after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) cleared long-standing land amortization obligations under the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.

By year-end 2025, DAR Caraga distributed 8,800 Certificates of Condemnation, Cancellation, or Release of Mortgage (COCROMs), covering 22,909 hectares of farmland across Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.

The move translated into PHP379 million in condoned land debts—unpaid amortizations, interests, penalties, and surcharges accumulated over decades.

For many farming families, the release marks the end of a generational burden.

“This is life-changing. Now, we are free from the long-standing payments,” said Felipe Lepit, an ARB from Agusan del Sur who now plans to expand crop production and strengthen the farmers’ cooperative he leads. “It opens a future filled with stability and renewed hope.”

Agusan del Sur posted the highest number of beneficiaries, with 2,405 COCROMs issued to 6,656 farmers, clearing more than 14,270 hectares worth PHP69.2 million in obligations.

Surigao del Sur followed with 4,866 documents benefitting nearly 4,000 farmers and wiping out PHP252 million in debts across 6,958 hectares.

Agusan del Norte recorded 1,433 releases for 1,492 ARBs, while Surigao del Norte accounted for 96 documents benefitting 70 farmers.

For 63-year-old Eduardo Madjos of Barangay Antongalon in Butuan City, the financial relief means reinvesting in productivity rather than paying off old balances.

“Now, I can use my income to improve my farm, apply new technologies, and buy the farm implements we need,” he said.

The debt condonation is anchored on Republic Act 11953, which the DAR says is among the most significant agrarian reforms in decades. Secretary Conrado Estrella III led the nationwide rollout of the program.

DAR Caraga Regional Director Merlita Capinpuyan said the impact goes beyond numbers.

“This 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.

For Caraga’s farmers, the program offers more than financial relief—it restores ownership, dignity, and the promise that the land they cultivate can finally work fully for them.