DAR sets inventory of all CARP lands

Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza is pushing for an inventory of lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to accelerate payment to former landowners.

This came after his office received numerous complaints from some former landowners, claiming that they have not yet been paid for their lands even when the lands have already been placed under CARP and distributed to farmer-beneficiaries.

According to Braganza, the move will make possible the full cooperation of landowners with the government, since this issue has been hampering the implementation of the CARP.

"We believe that the stakeholders in our agrarian reform program are not only the farmers, but the landowners as well," Braganza said.

"It’s about time that this issue is addressed the soonest to gain the confidence of the landowners and encourage them to work hand-in-hand with the government in its effort to raise the standards of living in the countryside," he added.

At the same time, Braganza ordered field officers to come up with alternative payment schemes in acquiring lands, wherein the government is spared from shouldering the cost.

He said the alternative modes may be necessary since the budget for land acquisition had been reduced by Congress to P2.8 billion for this year, which, Braganza noted, is good only for about 70,000 hectares of land. The Arroyo administration is aiming to distribute 500,000 hectares of land before its term ends in 2004.

The CARP has required a P5.66-billion budget for land acquisition this year.

For 2001, DAR sought a P5.18-billion budget for land acquisition but Congress only approved P2.6 billion.

Specifically, Braganza suggested a "direct payment scheme" where farmer-beneficiaries will directly pay the landowners, on terms agreed upon between the two parties. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall determine the mode of payment.

"The mechanics is now being worked out to ensure that the scheme would be beneficial to both parties," Braganza said.

Previously, Braganza created the "Landowners’ Assistance Desk," which will attend to agrarian-related problems and issues affecting the landowners and former landowners.