Sunday, November 02, 2008 Nograles: Carp extension 50-50 in Congress
THE five-year extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) as proposed in Congress will face a 50-50 chance of passing, especially since some landowners in the legislative department oppose the proposal.
This was the revelation made by House Speaker Prospero Nograles who said that he is now doing his best to get a win-win solution among members of the Lower House who are for and against the extension of Carp.
He said many lawmakers wanted to make some amendments on the Carp law before allowing it to be extended, but the sponsors would not allow so.
"Maraming gustong gumawa ng mga amendments on the Carp law, but the sponsors do not want amendments. They just want outright extension. So I now have to use diplomacy to find a win-win solution," Nograles said.
Because Congress will be in session from November 10 until December 20 only, Nograles said they are trying their best to pass the law that would extend Carp before its deadline at the end of this year. He assured that despite the non-extension of Carp, the law will still be effective.
"We will give our best. What is the worst thing to happen is that if we don’t act on it, Carp will still be a law but what we will be removing is the acquisition. The support services are still there. It does not mean that if we don’t extend it the Carp will be a dead law,” he said.
"Yung voluntary acquisition will still be there. Yung mawawala is yung compulsory acquisition. The argument of the congressmen is that they were given 20 years to Carp the lands yet they failed and now they are again asking an extension of five years," Nograles added. (BOT)
