GENERAL SANTOS CITY, June 13 (PIA)--President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to arrive at the Lagao gymnasium here later this afternoon to personally distribute 13,585 certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) to recipients-agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Soccsksargen (Region XII).

President Duterte will be received at the venue by Agrarian Secretary John Castriciones and host city Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 12 Regional Director Felix Aguhob said there will be "a total of 12,548 CLOAs with 13,585 ARBs covering a total aggregate area of 24,000 hectares of land all over Region XII."

But instead of the 13,585 ARBs only 2,000 of them will be attending the event to receive all the CLOAs.

According to DAR-prepared event briefer, the "region-wide CLOA distribution is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's directive to fast track DAR's implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms or CARPER."

The CLOA-covered land area for distribution by President Duterte are located in North Cotabato with 9,419.7459 hectares; Sarangani, 1,393.0000 hectares; South Cotabato, 3,142.9546 hectares; and Sultan Kudarat, 3,364.2370 hectares.

This also includes the land turned over by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) to DAR per A.O. 5, s. 2019 totaling 6,679.6237 hectares.

DAR maintains that "the issuance of CLOAs to ARBs will ultimately confirm and secure their ownership of the land which is an important matter among the 10-point socio-economic agenda" of the president.

Aguhob emphasized that "the issuance of CLOAs will eliminate the fears and uncertainties of ARBs regarding the status of their land which will enable them to increase their agricultural productivity, encourage them to invest, and eventually improve the overall quality of their lives."

He also vowed to continue to exert efforts to help improve the quality of life of farmers by providing "support services in the form of livelihood programs, scholarships, credit assistance, crop insurance" among others.

Aguhob disclosed that aside from the recipients they are also expecting some 500 attendees from the local government untis, DAR, and other national government agencies.

Also expected in the President's visit are Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol, OPAPP Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Benjamin Madrigal, LBP President and Chief Executive Officer Cecilia Borromeo, Land Registration Authority Administrator Renato Bermejo and his Deputy Administrator Robert Nomar Leyretana, among others.

Tightened security measures will also be observed for the Presidential Visit with the Police Regional Office 12 and the Task Force Gensan on top to ensure everything is smoothly implemented. (CTA/PIA SarGen)