THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said Monday that it has distributed 849 land titles covering about 656 hectares of agricultural land to 688 farmer-beneficiaries in Central Luzon.
The distribution, held Oct. 29, included 426 Emancipation Patents and Certificates of Land Ownership Award, and 423 electronic titles issued under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Split) Project.
The Split Project divides collectively titled land into individual parcels, allowing agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to secure titles to their respective farm lots.
DAR Regional Director Eric Francis Luna said the agency’s assistance extends beyond land ownership. He noted that Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III had directed officials to speed up title distribution while continuing to provide support services to help beneficiaries improve their livelihoods.
Film fest winners
Also on Oct. 29, DAR’s annual short film festival, PelikulAgraryo 2026, recognized seven entries produced by 137 students from four schools.
Aurora State College of Technology’s “Tubo” won Best Film in the agrarian reform beneficiary category, while Tarlac State University’s “Sandigan” received the same honor in the ARBs’ organization category. Both films also earned several individual awards.
Other award-winning entries came from Central Luzon State University and Wesleyan University-Philippines.
DAR said land distribution and youth engagement form part of its efforts to secure farmers’ land rights and bring their stories to a wider audience.