Palace backs DAR on CARPER coverage

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is standing by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in saying that all lands that fall under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) law will be covered by June 30, the last day of the law’s effectivity.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte yesterday said over radio dzRB that the DAR is confident that it is on track in implementing the CARPER law.

She said DAR’s commitment is clear from the beginning that the agency is trying its best to issue all notices of coverage before June, so agricultural lands under the law would be distributed even after the law’s effectivity.

“Why are we after that? Because it is stated right in the law that once a notice of coverage is issued, even beyond the June 2014 deadline, it will still be processed,” she added.

The Palace official made the statement after Catholic bishops asked President Aquino to extend the CARPER law until the end of his term in 2016 because the DAR is behind schedule in land distribution, and to fire Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes for being a misfit in the department.

But Valte maintained that the DAR would endeavor to meet its deadline since President Aquino himself committed to follow the CARPER law in his last State of the Nation Address.

As for De los Reyes, Valte said it would be up to the DAR chief to speak with the bishops to address their concerns.

Last Jan. 27, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (CBCP-NASSA) sent a letter to Aquino appealing for a two-year extension of the CARPER law and alleging that De los Reyes “clearly does not fit the role of a transformational leader for the demanding task ahead” in agrarian reform.

CBCP-NASSA requested to have a dialogue with Aquino, saying major decisions and actions on the strategic direction of the law and the capability of the government to accomplish these strategies would have to be taken before the law’s deadline.

CBCP-NASSA also urged that all unpaid amortizations of farmers be condoned, all future distributions be free, and the government undertake a massive program of institution-building and funding support for agricultural development and agrarian reform.