Farmers in Occidental Mindoro province have received land ownership documents and had debts worth millions of pesos cancelled under government reforms.

More than 2,000 farmers in Occidental Mindoro on Monday have been given formal land titles and had outstanding debts written off.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed electronic land titles to 354 farmers covering 265 hectares in Sablayan town on Monday, with another 111 receiving certificates for 170.4 hectares.

The documents provide crucial proof of ownership that many farmers have lacked, preventing them from accessing credit.

A further 1,594 farmers had their debts cancelled, wiping out P87.75 million pesos in unpaid loans, interest and penalties.

The relief follows legislation signed by President Bongbong Marcos Jr. in 2023 aimed at easing the financial burden on small-scale farmers.

The government urged recipients to use the land productively to support national food security.

The country’s agrarian reform program has distributed more than 5 million hectares since 1988, but many farmers have struggled with mortgage debts and incomplete paperwork.

File photo: courtesy of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)