Thursday, January 25, 2007 Carp implementation worsens, new group claims By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) is getting worse and has reached its worst record so far under the new administration, a peasant group said.
Task Force Mapalad said Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman's administration has a "zero installation record, very low land distribution, cowardice in the face of resisting landowners and bowing to pressure from influential officials."
"All these resulted in very poor implementation of the Carp," the group said.
They said Pangandaman and Undersecretary for Field Operations Narciso Nieto are the two most important DAR officials in terms of ensuring the implementation of Carp at field level.
"Unfortunately, these two officials have practically done nothing despite their numerous pronouncements about fast tracking land distribution and the installation of farmer-beneficiaries who have been holding titles for years," Task Force Mapalad president Jose Rodito Angeles said in a statement.
The Task Force Mapalad statement is in time for the top officials of DAR's gathering here in Davao City for a three-day assessment of Carp accomplishments.
"Contrary to usual practice, DAR until now has not made any official announcement about how many hectares of land it has distributed last year. We will not be surprised if DAR fails to meet its measly target of 100,000 hectares. If it reports accomplished target, we have reason to assume that it is doctored and padded," Angeles said.
In terms of regional accomplishment, Western Visayas, which includes the province of Negros Occidental, has the worst performance of only 66 percent, with only 13,366 hectares acquired.
Angeles said the reason for poor Carp implementation is Pangandaman's weak and indecisive leadership.
"He was afraid to confront landowners who resist Carp. Even when the law is clearly on the side of DAR, and even when the courts have decided in favor of the FBs, Pangandaman did not dare to act in favor of the FBs because he was too afraid of the landowners," he said.
Angeles also scored Nieto for joining Pangandaman in his cowardice.
"Nieto only goes through the motion of issuing orders for installation of CLOA holders, but does nothing if the local DAR officials ignore his order. He is as boneless as Pangandaman," he said. (With press release)
