Cebu farmers stage rally at DAR office

CEBU - At least 217 farmers from different towns in Cebu trooped to the provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform yesterday to express their concerns and seek help on their problems about the land they are tilling.

PARO chief Stephen M. Leonidas sat with half of the farmers in the conference room while some of them stayed outside to show their support.

During the dialogue, Leonidas and lawyer Alvin Arante, chief of Legal Assistance Division, answered various questions and updated the farmers on the status of lands that are currently being processed for coverage under either Presidential Decree 27 or Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Issues on non-distribution of titles of the lands awarded to due technical problems in the transfer of land from its original owners, among others, were raised during the meeting.

Leonidas said some also complained about things that are out of the jurisdiction of DAR that their office has no longer control over with. These include some cases that are already in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and many others that are not covered by the function of DAR.

One of the common complaints of the farmers is the alleged resistance of land owners to have their lands cover by PD 27 or CARP which are shown through their filing of petition for exclusion from coverage, beneficiaries’ ejectment and other form of protest.

Leonidas said farmers also raised technical problems, ownership issues and other legal conflicts which are all causing delays in the implementation of DAR programs particularly the distribution of land to landless Cebuano farmers.

Specifically, he said farmers are asking for security of tenure through possessing land titles. But he explained to them that even without the title, granting that they are covered by the CARP, they are protected by the Agrarian Reform Law so they cannot be ejected.

PARO has vowed to help the farmers solve their problems and gave them time frames but only for cases that DAR has control over.

Arante said for matters that are out of their control like cases pending in Manila, all they can offer is to follow it up by requesting for urgent resolution.

Some of the farmer beneficiaries joined the dialogue also thanked DAR for granting them hectares of land they could use for livelihood and development. — Jessica Ann Pareja/WAB (THE FREEMAN)