Estrella: DAR moving ‘full speed’ to split collective land titles

MANILA, Philippines – Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III said on Thursday his agency is “moving full speed ahead” in breaking up collective land titles as the World Bank-financed project nears expiry. The Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project is an initiative by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) partly funded by the World Bank, aimed at dividing lands granted under the agrarian reform program into individual titles for each beneficiary. This initiative seeks to enable landowners to manage and utilize their parcels more freely, thereby boosting agricultural productivity and expanding economic opportunities. Estrella expressed optimism regarding the project's progress, emphasizing that his department is working at 'full speed' to expedite the process. Delays could hinder the timely conferral of rights to beneficiaries and limit their chances to reap economic benefits. Land reform has been a significant policy agenda for successive administrations in the Philippines, with the establishment of land ownership being fundamental for the economic independence and improved living standards of rural farmers. Collective land titles, due to their complexity in management and ambiguity of rights, have often impeded the effective utilization of land. The SPLIT project is a step towards addressing these challenges and achieving a more equitable and efficient land distribution. (Source: Inquirer NewsInfo)