Hope springs alive to the residents of Bohol’s 21 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) who have yet to taste intervention promised by the government when it offered the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.
The 21 ARCs happened to be left out as 28 other Bohol ARCs race to get the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) help through government and foreign donors until the program expired June of last year.
But with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inking the consolidated version of the bill extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by another five years last Friday, it was a momentous day for the life of residents of the remaining ARCs here.
The most awaited CARP extension gives more hope to residents of three ARCS in Bohols First District, to 8 communities in Bohol II and to 10 communities in Bohol III.
Already pushed for inclusion into the list of ARCs awaiting intervention both from local and foreign donors especially with the recent Asian Development Bank’s Agrarian Reform Communities Project (ARCP/ADB) project are ARC CAMPVILPAPPINS, Tubigon, ARC Upper Loon, Loon and Special ARC CHABMANS, Catigbian, data from the local DAR office show.
In Bohol II district, pushed for consideration by the DAR are ARC Eastern Trinidad, Trinidad, Special ARC Mainland Bien Unido, Bien Unido, Special ARC VILLASANBOPO, President Carlos P. Garcia, ARC Buenahill, Buenavista, ARC Inabanga, Inabanga, ARC KASSU, Sagbayan, ARC SMART, San Miguel and ARC VEBACALAMPOSAN, Dagohoy.
For Bohol III, recommended for intervention are ARC Loboc, Loboc, ARC Cabacnitan-Cambigsi, Bilar, Special ARC Garcia-Batuan, Special ARC BuenaLapta, Carmen, ARC EL PROMONTEVILLA, Carmen, ARC POBSCANTAM’S N LAS VILLAS, Sierra-Bullones, Special ARC KC, Alicia, ARC Guio-ang, Guindulman, ARC Jagna, Jagna and ARC Loay, Loay.
For beneficiaries from these communities, their pleas, resounding with the millions of farmers and agricultural sector workers all over the country finally gets heard.
The CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER) Bill is the government’s reply breathes new life to a social justice program that has stirred economic development in the country’s farming areas.
CARP, the land redistribution scheme mandated by Republic Act No. 6657 expired in December 2008.
Congress, by joint resolution extended CARP for six more months, to allow DAR to continue its mandated tasks pending the enactment of a new law to extend the program.
Under the CARPER Bill, P100-billion has been allocated as outlay for land acquisition and distribution, support services, agrarian justice delivery, and other funding requirements during the extension period.
The bill likewise covers all public and private agricultural lands as provided in Proclamation 131 and Executive Order No. 229, including other lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture.
The measure stipulates that prioritization of coverage “is not necessary†and that after June 30, 2009, the modes of acquisition will be limited to voluntary offer to sell and compulsory acquisition.
The bill further provides for the creation of a joint congressional oversight committee to be composed of three members each from the Senate and the House. (PIA)
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