BORACAY, AKLAN – In a comprehensive three-day plenary session held from 20 to 22 September 2023 at Astoria Current, Boracay, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) conducted a thorough review of Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2021, titled “Revised Guideline and Procedures on the Parcelization of Landholdings with Collective Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CCLOA).”

DAR Regional Office VI (6), led by Regional Director Atty. Sheila B. Enciso facilitated the inauguration of the plenary session. She delivered a welcome message focusing on enhancing administrative order, perspective, and insights on the subject. highlighting the importance of revisions for the order.

DAR Key officials, including Bureau of Land Tenure Improvement (BLTI) Deputy National Project Director IV Lilibeth G. Lee, DAR Adjudication Board Member Atty. Rolando S. Cua, Policy and Research Services (PRS) Director IV Jamil P. Amatonding Jr., and Client Relations Service (CRS) Director III Atty. Juan Lorenzo Maria Castriciones led discussions during the event.

The review highlighted the introduction of the salient features of AO1, Series of 2021, presented by Dir. Amatonding Jr. Afterward, Atty. Cua discussed the salient features of the New Emancipation Act and Implementing Rules and Regulation of Republic Act 11953 or the “New Agrarian Emancipation Act,” which provided a comprehensive understanding of the review process.

Furthermore, the following activities featured breakout sessions where Groups 1 to 3, composed of Legal and Provincial Agrarian Reform Officers (PAROs), discussed and presented their revisions for the provided chapters of the Administrative Order, led by Atty. Leoncio Bautista Jr., Atty. Arthur J. Lastimoso, and Atty. Teresita A. Mabunay, respectively.

The presentations of proposed amendments and recommendations on the order were followed by an open forum, allowing participants to raise various issues and concerns. Atty. Catriciones serving as the mediator, ensured all questions and clarifications were addressed, resulting in insightful deliberations of each order’s section.

The Review of Administrative Order No. 1, Series of 2021, proved to be an insightful and engaging endeavor and was notably effective as in-depth discussions and comprehensive analysis of the order marked the participants’ coordination. The agenda for the review of the order showcased a well-structured format, with conversations that primarily focused on the objectives and expected outputs of the activity,

The plenary session is a testament that DAR is committed to implementing any necessary changes to the administrative order to improve the parcelization of landholdings with collective certificates of land ownership award (CCLOA).