Pacman bout still in hands of promoters

Re-elected Palawan Rep. Abraham Kahlil Mitra will strongly push for the passage next Congress of his proposed measure seeking to provide an augmentation fund to further strengthen the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Mitra said the bill aims to ensure the effectivity and responsiveness of CARP to promote the welfare of the country's landless farmers and farm workers.

"Without the necessary funding to support the various aspects of the comprehensive agrarian reform program, it is feared that the constitutionally mandated CARP will have to cease," Mitra said.

Mitra said a sustainable CARP should include a sufficient, efficient and improved system for the delivery of services to the farmers, farm workers and landowners, as well as cooperatives and other independent farmers' organization.

According to Mitra, the bill seeks to promote a sustainable CARP beyond the 2008 budgetary deadline imposed by Republic Act 8532.

"This goes to reason that it is not enough for the State to distribute lands, the State must ensure that these lands continue to be productive and/or economically viable and that the beneficiaries be given access to the support mechanism that can make this possible in order for the gains of CARP to be sustained," Mitra said.

"The budgetary deadline set in 2008 and the pressing concerns from various stakeholders of the CARP set the atmosphere of serious necessity for prioritizing rural development and industrialization," Mitra added.