Sunday, July 15, 2007 Arroyo vows to push for Carp extension By Ma. Ester L. Espina
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will continue to prioritize the implementation of land reform and would seek for its extension before the Congress, amidst call for a review and audit of the program from local government officials.
In a private meeting with several officials upon her arrival at the Bacolod Airport Friday, she stressed that she will push for the continuance of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) as this was started by her father, former President Diosdado Macapagal.
However, as to when and what form of land reform will be implemented if ever allowed to be extended beyond June 2008 will depend largely on Congress.
Representative Ignacio Arroyo (5th district) said the President made clear her position to seek for the extension of Carp, but also said that it will all depend on Congress whether to allow it to push through or in what form it should take.
Arroyo also said it might just be land reform and not the Carp program itself, and if this will happen, this might be for the coverage of other agricultural lands such as rice fields but might spare the sugar lands.
Representative Jose Carlos Lacson (3rd district), however, made clear his position that he will oppose any moves to extend Carp unless they can prove to him that the program is indeed a success.
Lacson said he believes most of the agrarian beneficiaries are simply beneficiaries in name but are not anymore tilling the lands awarded to them.
He said he is not against the program itself but admitted that he has been opposing the law since it was first presented to Congress because he believes it is giving false hopes to farmer beneficiaries, adding that he will continue to oppose it unless he see some positive results.
Lacson also cited initial findings from the study being conducted by the Provincial Government where some individuals were listed as holders of as much as 10 Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA).
He added that he has yet to see majority of farmer beneficiaries’ claim that they have alleviated their quality of life because of the agrarian reform program.
The law is flawed from the very start and I need a good reason to even consider changing my position against it, said Lacson.
Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser Rafael Coscolluela said he will recommend reworking the proposal for Carp implementation in Negros Occidental before the cabinet cluster tasked by the President to look into the problem of Carp in the province.
Coscolluela said he believes there is a need to clarify a working relationship between the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the local government units (LGUs), saying the basic rule is proper coordination and seeking the assistance of the LGUs to prevent outbreak of violence.
He clarified however that this recommendation will only pertain to the implementation of the program in Negros Occidental where local chief executives have been complaining against DAR for their failure to consult them which has caused violence in some areas, particularly in Hacienda Velez-Malaga in La Castellana.
