Charity Laluna (right), a fourth-year communication student, shares her team’s experience filming Tituladong Pangandoy during the first PelikulAgraryo–DAR Central and Regional Film Festival on July 31, 2025. Shot on the farmland of Joecard Dalman in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, the short film highlights the story of agrarian reform beneficiaries. (Photo: MJP/PIA-10)
TheMonitorMindanaoToday.com | DAR urges youth to engage in farming through short film tilt
By: Shaun Alejandrae Y. Uy
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Last month , the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) used a short film competition to encourage youth engagement in farming by highlighting the stories of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) through student-produced films.
The first PelikulAgraryo Regional Film Festival, held July 31, 2025, featured short films from college students across northern Mindanao. The event is part of a national initiative that collected 101 entries from 68 public and private colleges in 15 regions.
“PelikulAgraryo was born, and now we have 101 short films from 15 regions, submitted by 68 state universities and private colleges,” said DAR Assistant Secretary for External Affairs and Communications Operations Office Jose Jenil C. Demorito.
“Ito na po ang tugon sa panawagan ng ating sekretaryo, Conrado Estrella III, on how we can extend a hand to the youth to embrace farming as a way of life,” he added
Winning the northern Mindanao competition was Tituladong Pangandoy, a short film by communication students from PHINMA – Cagayan de Oro College. The film tells the story of Joecard Dalman, a farmer from Claveria, Misamis Oriental, who acquired land through DAR’s Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Project SPLIT).
Directed by student Charity Laluna, the film received several awards, including Best ARB Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography.
“Working on Tituladong Pangandoy was a humbling and unforgettable experience for all of us,” Laluna said. “At first, we thought we were simply telling the story of one man, but as we dug deeper, we realized it reflected the journey of many Filipinos.”
Other winners in the regional tilt included:
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Katungod – University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines – CDO (Second Best Film)
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Bisan Malimot Ko – Bukidnon State University (Third Best Film)
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Ani – Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (Honorable Mention)
The winning team from PHINMA – Cagayan de Oro College will represent northern Mindanao at the national PelikulAgraryo awarding ceremony in Manila.
Demorito said the film festival helped DAR connect with younger generations, a key demographic as the agriculture sector faces aging labor and declining interest.
“We have made an unprecedented connection with the youth which could have a lasting impact on them,” he said. “In fact we are already talking about PelikulAgraryo 2026.”
DAR Regional Director Zoraida O. Macadindang said the agency supports platforms that bring the stories of ARBs to the public.
“We celebrate the triumph and aspiration of our ARBs,” she said, adding that DAR remains committed to making ARBs economically competitive both locally and internationally. (SAYU/PIA-10/Misamis Oriental)
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