After more than six years of waiting, 71 farm families in Vallehermoso, Oriental Negros, were finally installed on their land by the Department of Land Reform.

Provincial agrarian reform officer Grace Fua turned down the proposal of the former owners of the 204-hectare property to use the land to cultivate "jatropha" or "tuba-tuba" for biofuel purposes, and awarded the land to the farmers recently. The land was previously owned by Vicente Lopez, Jr. but was placed under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program's compulsory acquisition in 1992.

The beneficiaries were issued their certificates of land ownership award on February 22, 2000. The former landowners, however, strongly resisted the giving of CLOAs until the installation.

During the installation program, Rep. Jacinto Paras (1st district, Neg. Or.) supported the DAR and reminded the farmers to observe their rights and obligations to take care of the land.

Also present at the installation were Rep. Paras' wife Olive, CARPO Paulino Tudlasan, Jr. in behalf of DAR 7 Regional Director Datu Yusoph Mama; Vallehermoso Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Hanani Quijote; MARO District Leader Naphtalie Zerna; troopers of the Philippine National Police Provincial Command led P/Supt. Rogelio Pineda; and the DAR provincial staff.*

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