DAR denies agrarian reform program to end in 2014

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has denied reports that the agrarian reform program will expire in June 2014, as alleged by farmers’ groups and other non-government organizations.

DAR Undersecretary Joe Grageda appealed to farmers’ groups, civil society organizations and other agrarian reform advocates to stop circulating wrong information that the agrarian reform program will expire in 2014.

“These irresponsible statements may only agitate our landless peasants to resort to violence,” he said.

Grageda said some agrarian reform advocates erred when they said that the DAR has only until June 2014 to distribute land to the farmers under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER).

He said that nothing in the law states that the DAR cannot distribute CARP-covered agricultural lands beyond 2014.

“In fact, Section 30 of Republic Act (RA) 9700 states that the implementation of CARP can be conducted even beyond 2014 with respect to those with pending cases. This is the purpose why the DAR has been diligently working to issue and validly serve all Notices of Coverage before 2014,” Grageda said.

He explained that the Notice of Coverage initiates the compulsory acquisition of private agricultural lands and which is similar to summons issued by courts.

Grageda said the agency is closely cooperating with the Land Registration Authority to obtain, in bulk and in a speedy manner, the certified true copies of titles that needed for the issuance of Notices of Coverage.