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Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Arroyo certifies Carp extension bill as urgent
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday certified as urgent the House bill extending the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) that include the acquisition and distribution of farm lands.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President had already sent a letter certifying House Bill (HB) 4077 as urgent to Speaker Prospero Nograles and Senate President Manuel Villar Jr.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
"The President has certified as urgent for immediate enactment of House Bill number 4077, (under committee report 506) entitled An Act Sustaining the Implementation of Carp; extending the acquisition and distribution of all agricultural lands, instituting necessary reforms and appropriating funds thereof," he said.
However, no call for a special session has been made, leaving it to the lawmakers if they could pass the bill before Congress adjourns session on June 11.
Related stories:
Militant lawmaker: 'Negros bloc' protects Arroyo lands from Carp
Bishops to DAR: Impose Carp on Arroyos
Iggy, Marañon tagged Carp 'executioners'
Farmers lambasted Nograles, others for blocking Carp extension
Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said if the lawmakers are really intent on passing the bill, they would do something to enact it before the session is adjourned.
Fajardo said the extension of the Carp law by another five years is one of the priority measures of the administration.
Under the bill, a subsidized credit for agrarian reform beneficiaries would be provided and women would be recognized as Carp beneficiaries. It also recognizes the indefeasibility of emancipation patents and certificates of land ownership awards and upholds the exclusive jurisdiction of the agrarian reform department over agrarian-related disputes.
The proposal also upholds the legal standing and interest of Carp beneficiaries, and calls for the creation of a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee (COC) on the implementation of Carp.
The land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of the law is set to expire on June 10, two decades after the Carp law was enacted. Carp has been extended once -- for 10 years -- since it was enacted in 1988.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which is pushing for the Carp extension, welcomed the development on the Carp issue.
"It's a welcome development. In fact over 30 bishops already signed a letter for her (Arroyo), the House and the Senate about our call for Carp extension," said CBCP president Angel Lagdameo.
He said the President's action is a sign that she will approve the legislation but they will still continue to pray that Congress will extend Carp.
"We hope and pray that the House will legislate Carp, at least there's already a sign that the President will approve the legislation," he said. (JMR/FP/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (June 4, 2008 issue)
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