CARP extension to benefit more farmers

CEBU, Philippines – With the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), more farmers and landowners are expected to benefit from the program as the government modifies some policies and allocates budget for its implementation.

Department of Agrarian Reform regional director Rodolfo T. Inson said that CARP, which has been given a five-year extension “promises a lot of good things for its stakeholders” especially for the more than 40, 000 landless farmers in Central Visayas who are eyed to benefit from the program.

The extension of CARP has opened opportunities for farmers in the region to own a significant portion of land that they could claim as theirs, and also benefit from the support services that DAR and other implementing agencies of CARP.

Inson said that more than 40, 000 farmer beneficiaries are expected to share from the total of 43, 600 hectares of workable land that is yet to be distributed starting this year and until 2014.

DAR-7 has a total of 53, 600 hectares of balance to be dispatched through the Land Distribution component of CARP. About 43, 600 hectares of which are workable while 13, 000 remain problematic, which means that they do not qualify for distribution at the meantime because the conflicts are not yet resolved.

Inson said that DAR can now implement the three components of CARP, which are the land acquisition and distribution, delivery of support services, and delivery of agrarian justice to farmers with legal problems, given the assurance of a P150 billion budget.

According to him, during the bicameral conference last Wednesday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate reconciled the provisions of the two bills extending CARP and agreed to a P150 billion budget, five years extension, changes in the valuation policy and the retention of compulsory acquisition.

He said the compulsory acquisition is very important in the acquisition of about 1.3 hectares of land nationwide. Ha said that 80 percent of the 1.3 hectares are plantation types of land owned mostly by politicians who would not easily give up their lands.

The modifications done in the valuation policy promises increased incentive for land owners in exchange for the land that DAR will acquire from them. This applies not only for the compulsorily acquired lands but also for those who voluntarily offered their land to DAR.

Inson added there will be an intensified monitoring this time to ensure that genuine beneficiaries are able to avail of the program.

He admitted that before, the program’s implementation was not that strict that resulted to some questionable distributions. “This time, there will be an oversight body that will watch whether the program is properly implemented or not,” Inson said.

In preparation for this, DAR-7 and the rest of the regions in the country have started creating their data base where documentations conducted will be stored.

Inson revealed they are about to start the re-documentation of issued Cetificate of Land Ownership Award granted to farmers.

They have already started documenting all farmer beneficiaries and agrarian reform communities scattered all over the region in the provinces of Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor and Bohol. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja/WAB (THE FREEMAN)