The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) vowed to provide government land to Ati members in Boracay after it was determined that Boracay Island was not suitable for farming and there was no basis to award Certificates of Land Ownership Award to them.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the government will provide one to three hectares as well as "all assistance and support services" to 44 members of the Boracay Ati Tribal Association who wanted to divide among themselves a small parcel of land not suitable for farming.

"We treat people with compassion, but we must uphold the law relative to the issue of Ati in Boracay," Estrella said in a statement Thursday.

The official added that the Bureau of Soils and Water Management, an agency under the Department of Agriculture, has declared the Boracay landholding not suitable for agriculture which should be exempted from DAR coverage under Republic Act 6657, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Estrella said that the period of issuing the notice of coverage of private lands expired last June 30, 2014.

Members of the Boracay Ati Tribal Association wanted to divide the 1,282 square meter property among themselves, allocating approximately 30 square meters to each individual.

This will indicate that the land is unsuitable for agricultural purposes.

"They cannot invoke Executive Order 75 here because it is not even a government-owned land since there is a legitimate claimant. EO 75 is a Malacañang order directing all government agencies to identify government land that could be distributed to qualified beneficiaries," Estrella said.

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