Doomsday for Agrarian Reform Program?

EDITORIAL

Some government officials are saying it would be the end of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program this June 30, but according to Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat, implementation of the CARP will continue after the date.

Baguilat, who chairs the House committee on agrarian reform  bared this urgeing the Department of Agrarian Reform to immediately issue all Notices of Coverage (NOC) by end of June

“I would like to emphasize to the public that based on Sec. 30 of Republic Act 9700 amending RA 6657, only the issuance of NOCs by the DAR on lands not yet acquired for CARP distribution will stop by July 1, 2014.

According to Baguilat, “all other land transfer processes of lands already covered, support services provision and agrarian justice delivery will proceed until finality based on the law.”

NOC issuance starts the process of land acquisition and distribution under the CARP. With the failure of both Houses of Congress to pass a law continuing NOC issuance last June 11, CARP acquisition of lands will stop on July 1.

“However, under Section 30 of RA 9700, any case proceeding which may remain pending on June 30, 2014 shall be allowed to proceed to its finality and be executed beyond such date. Petitions for coverage from farmers will be considered ongoing cases,” said Baguilat.

Baguilat co-authored House Bill 4296 with Coop-NATCCO Partylist Rep. Crescente Paez to propose extension of NOC issuance to agricultural landholdings not yet placed under the agrarian reform program.

“Malacanang certified the bill as urgent but this was still not passed on the last session days due to stiff opposition of representatives from the Visayas and the Makabayan block. But as chairperson of the House committee on agrarian reform, I am committed to have this bill passed when Congress resumes for the sake of the farmers already awaiting the distribution of those lands,” Baguilat said.   

As of May 2014, DAR reported around 5,635 NOCs for 48,344 hectares that still need to be prepared while 8,450 NOCs for 40,348 hectares need to be published or delivered to their respective landowners.

Baguilat earlier urged DAR Secretary Gil delos Reyes to distribute all remaining 14,085 NOCs by June 30 (tomorrow)  so landless farmers who are relying on CARP would benefit.

The House committee of agrarian reform has yet to receive its request from DAR for the latest remaining balance of NOCs still for issuance.

The requested information is needed by the Committee to support HB4296 and Senate Bill 2188 when the second regular session of Congress opens on July 28 and by the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agrarian Reform (COCAR) in monitoring CARP implementation.