BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, July 3 – Regional Director Stephen Leonidas of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR-7) assured farmers in Central Visayas whose lands have yet to be distributed under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reform (CARPER) that they would receive the land title as promised.
Leonidas gave the assurance during the recent forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) amid reports that no land acquisition and distribution under the CARPER would be made as the program ended last June 30.
“There is nowhere in the law that states that CARP will end in June 30, 2014,” said Leonidas, adding that the law is clear that government should undertake agrarian programs founded on the rights of landless farmers.
According to Leonidas, in the Philippine agrarian setting, only 10 percent are landowners and 90 percent are workers which is why government wants to reverse the situation through the CARP aimed at equitable land distribution favorable to landless farmers.
Leonidas clarified that what ended in June 30 was the issuance of Notice of Coverage (NOC) for landholdings under the CARPER. But for lands that have been already issued with NOC, the DAR will continue to distribute these to qualified farmers, said Leonidas.
Leonidas explained that House Bill 4296 is now pending in Congress that seeks to extend the land acquisition and distribution until 2016 for landholdings that have not been issued the NOC.
“The bill is certified urgent by President Aquino himself and it is the first priority for lawmakers to tackle when Congress resumes soon,” bared Leonidas.
Leonidas said under CARPER, a farmer-beneficiary can own a maximum of three hectares of land and a minimum of one-hectare. Qualified to avail of the CARPER are shared tenants and regular farm workers, he added.
Landowners on the other hand, can still retain five hectares of their land while their children, if qualified, can each get a maximum of three-hectare land, said the DAR-7 director.
In Central Visayas, Leonidas said CARPER accomplishment is at 91 percent and only over 18,000 hectares of lands still need to be distributed. (rmn/fcr/with reports from Mary Jane G. Conciliado, PIA-7 intern)