DAR to come up with list of Luisita beneficiaries by August

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will come up with an initial list of farmer-beneficiaries who are entitled to Hacienda Luisita farm lots by August or September this year.

DAR Secretary Virgilio de Los Reyes said the masterlist will be made available to the public so that farmer groups and civil society groups may scrutinize the list.

“All the proceedings in the identification, screening and validation of potential beneficiaries are open to the public in the interest of transparency,” De Los Reyes said.

He expressed confidence that the department will be able to meet its self-imposed deadline of identifying the potential farmer-beneficiaries within three to four months following the computerization of the workers’ database.

A report from the DAR’s Management Information System office showed that a total of 8,482 farmworkers underwent field interview and screening of credentials as of June 29.

The DAR started processing the beneficiaries’ identification, screening and validation in 10 barangays in Hacienda Luisita last May 18 after the department’s lawyers received a copy of the Supreme Court decision ordering the distribution of the country’s biggest sugar plantation to farmworkers.

De Los Reyes explained that a number of potential beneficiaries may be stricken off the list if it is proven that they were not working in the sugar plantation starting Nov. 21, 1989, the date prescribed by the SC.