DBM releases P4.6-B for landowners’ compensation

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released Tuesday P4.644 billion for landowners’ compensation in connection with the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Agrarian Reform Secretary Jose Mari Ponce said that with the available fund, DAR can now pursue its program more vigorously and settle its obligations with the Land Bank of the Philippines for cash advances it had extended for landowners’ compensation. The fund is derived from the $683-million (roughly P38 billion) Marcos Swiss deposits, which was declared by the Supreme Court as public fund.

Earlier, President Arroyo announced that P30 billion of the Marcos fund would go to CARP and the remaining P8 billion would be used to compensate human rights during the Marcos regime.

Ponce said 70 percent of DAR’s share from the Marcos fund would go to its land acquisition and distribution program and 30 percent to high impact development interventions that would reach a greater number of CARP beneficiaries.

Ponce said DAR is targeting to distribute at least 130,000 hectares of land, 30,000 hectares more than the annual target of 100,000 hectares set by Malacañang.

"It is our responsibility to fasttrack land distribution to win the support of our farmer-beneficiaries – the key to winning the war against rural poverty," Ponce said. "We’ve got to exert more efforts and show to all CARP stakeholders that DAR is up to the task."

The agrarian reform chief said he is optimistic that DAR could meet its target as he expects landowners to be more cooperative with the government now that it is capable of paying them promptly.

Ponce noted that many landowners are reluctant to give up their properties because of fears that they might not be compensated properly.

"With assured funds, this fear will be abated," he said.