Wednesday, July 23, 2008 DAR hit for 'poor performance' By Anaize Naba Bukidnon Correspondent
A FEW months before the government's agrarian reform program expires, Bukidnon farmers stormed the regional office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to protest the agency's snail-pace performance and deliberate rejection of their application as beneficiaries even when they have complied the requirements.
Farmers and farm workers from the estates of Fortich, Laviña, and Valero in Valencia City painted a question mark symbol on their faces and put on a huge evaluation card to criticize DAR officials of their lousy action on land distribution and the reason behind the denial of their application as potential beneficiaries despite complying the requirements under DAR Administrative Order (Ao) Number 7 following the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).
DAR-AO No. 7 is the guidelines on the identification, screening and selection of, and distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of private agricultural lands under CARP or Republic Act 6657.
Case of Laviña Farm
In year 2006, landowner Rolando Laviña voluntarily offered to sell his 88-hectare property in Barangay Tugaya to DAR. However, he only recommended 21 beneficiaries who are close to him but who neither live in the estate nor in the barangay.
The other 22 farm workers needed to file for Petition to Qualify as farmer-beneficiaries. But both Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer John Oysler Rasonabe and DAR Regional Director Jhon Maruhom denied their petition.
"We have been farm-workers of Laviña since 1977, long before Carp was passed in 1988. Some of us are tenants inside the area. How come we did not pass as qualified ARBs? Is DAR showing its true colors by being biased to the landowner?" asked Amado Gonzales, a farm-worker of the Laviña estate.
Case of Fortich Farm
The 331 hectares Fortich Farm in Valencia City, owned by former Bukidnon provincial governor Carlos Fortich and siblings, was placed under Carp in year 2006.
The claim folder remains pending for approval of survey plan before the Land Management Section of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Northern Mindanao.
By now, DAR should have started the selection and identification of potential farmer-beneficiaries following DAR-AO No. 7. But farmers said that DAR is so slow and is not consistent with their guidelines.
Farmers are complaining that during the screening process, DAR insisted to submit a voter's affidavit or else be disqualified. They said this move runs contrary to AO No. 7 Article 5 Section 8, which requires to submit any or all documents as proof of their qualification as ARBs.
"We urge DAR to review the DAR-AO No. 7 guidelines before asking us much," said Constantino Sales, chairperson of the Fortich Farm Landless Farmers Beneficiaries Association.
Another parcel, the aggregate area of 847 hectares belonging to Remedios Fortich and Materpilca Corporation was exempted from Carp coverage in 1992 due to livestock production use. A Supreme Court decision has exempted livestock farms from Carp coverage. This land is currently administered by former Governor Fortich.
However, farmers observed that this supposedly cattle ranch is now converted into a pineapple, sugarcane and papaya plantation, which they perceived a violation of the DAR exemption order.
"Fortich has clearly violated the DAR order. Hence, DAR should now cancel the exemption and start the process of land distribution," Sales said.
Case of Valero Estate
The 50-hectare irrigated riceland of the late Arnoldo Valero located in Barangay Laligan is currently managed by his children represented by Elsi Namuag, who have been collecting rent from 13 tenants since 1972.
But these tenants have been awarded Certificate of Land Ownership Award in 1981. More than two decades after, DAR is yet to give them Emancipation Patents (EPs).
"What is DAR waiting for? It should immediately issue our EPs as well as a cease and desist order to the property to stop the Valero family from asking rent and harassing us by bringing in military personnel in the area," said Bernard Biongan, president of the Valero Estate Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association.
These Bukidnon farmers, who are affiliates of the Task Force Mapalad, said they are now preparing their protest action in DAR national office in Quezon City to report the non-satisfactory performance of the local officials.
