ILOILO CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) plans to distribute 500,000 hectares of land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in 2026, with another 200,000 hectares scheduled for distribution by 2027.

In an interview after the ceremonial distribution of electronic titles and Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCRoM) in Pototan, Iloilo on Monday afternoon, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said about 700,000 hectares remain undistributed.

In 2024, DAR distributed 100,000 hectares, while in 2025 it covered 302,000 hectares, exceeding the 300,000-hectare target.

“We are pushing to complete the distribution of all 700,000 hectares by 2027,” Estrella said.

He said land ownership will motivate farmers to increase crop production and livestock raising, supporting the government’s food sufficiency program.

Estrella added that once ownership is secured, beneficiaries will start paying real property taxes, increasing local government revenues.

“Higher local government revenue means more basic services for our people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Estrella said the distribution of CoCRoMs will be completed by June this year.

“The Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage will all be finished by June,” he said.

The condonation of unpaid amortizations covering principal, interest, penalties, and surcharges is a priority program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

On Monday, DAR distributed 6,472 electronic titles under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling Project to 5,837 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Western Visayas, along with 1,803 CoCRoMs to 1,762 farmer-beneficiaries from Guimaras.