By Isagani de Castro Jr.
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak
Leaders of the Catholic church, business and civil society are scheduled to meet with President Arroyo Wednesday to present their "united stand" for the extension of the 20-year old Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), which expires June 2008.
At the close of the May 5-6 Agrarian Reform Summit of Stakeholders, the participants, which included the Bishops-Businessmen Conference and the Bishops-Legislators Forum, urged Congress and Mrs. Arroyo to pass a law that not only extends the CARP but also cures its defects.
In a two-page statement, the summit called on Congress to "act on CARP extension with a greater sense of urgency and to adopt measures to make sure that this other extension be its last—meaning, the effective completion of land acquisition and distribution accompanied by a real start in delivering adequate and sustained support services to beneficiaries."
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was passed in June1988 with a ten-year mandate. It was extended in 1998 for another ten years.
If Congress does not extend CARP next month, former Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Gerry Bulatao told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newbreak this would give landowners the legal basis to oppose land acquisition and distribution.
"If there is no law, then many landowners will challenge the mandate. And that goes to court, and then it slows down everything. It’s much better if there is an extension law," he said.
1.6 million hectares more
According to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), 1.6 million hectares of land still have to be covered by CARP. Of the 1.6 million hectares, one million are private agricultural lands (e.g. sugar estates in the Visayas) and nearly 600,000 are public lands.
The DAR has estimated that CARP still needs at least P160 billion for a 10-year implementation of CARP beyond 2008.
In his synthesis of the summit, Education for Life (ELF) President Edicio de la Torre said the various sectors want "CARP Extension with Reforms". These reforms are:
C: Complete land acquisition and distribution
A: Adequate support services
R: Resolve agrarian reform cases
P: Prioritize big landholdings
E: Equal Rights for Women
R: Review ‘just compensation’
Support of Catholic bishops
Thirty-five leaders of the Catholic church, led by Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Chairman Angel Lagdameo, support the stakeholders in their call for CARP’s extension with reforms, Cagayan de Oro Archbishop Antonio Ledesma
informed the stakeholders at the Pope Pius Catholic Center.
He said the bishops in provinces and regions where landowners’ opposition to CARP is strong, such as in Negros and Bicol, also want an extension of CARP.
Rice crisis
Ledesma told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak the country’s rice crisis is the best example of the need to continue with CARP.
"For one thing, this rice crisis is also an indication that our farmers are not motivated to produce more if they do not own the land. And if they do not get the support services, they will also not be able to provide for the food security needed by the country," Ledesma said.
In the summit statement, the stakeholders said the rice and food crisis showed the "long neglect of agriculture" and the "disadvantaged plight of the Filipino small farmer."
They also cited several factors responsible for the crisis: disappearance of around 200,000 hectares of irrigated lands due to land conversions; lack of affordable credit and other support services accessible to small farmers; environmental despoliation;
armed conflicts that disrupt production in the fields; and cartelization of the rice and food industry.
Prospects for CARP Extension
Congressman Edcel Lagman, chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, told the summit stakeholders he does not see Congress approving CARP’s extension next month. "Probably, when we come back in July," he said.
However, Lagman said that if President Arroyo and the leaders of Congress want CARP’s extension approved next month, it can be "expedited."
If the House of Representatives approves CARP’s extension next month, he said the "Senate will be under pressure to follow suit." And hopefully, before June 30, a bicameral conference committee can be convened so that CARP’s extension will be enacted into law, Lagman said.
Congressman Abraham Mitra, chairman of the House agriculture and food committee, said "it is a reality that a big number of House members are not in favor of CARP’s extension."
Mitra said some lawmakers have had a bad experience with CARP. Thus, he urged bishops and constituents to convince their representatives to support CARP’s extension.
Ledesma said opposition to CARP’s extension "is to be expected." However, he said if there is a clamor from the people and there is support from top leaders, opposition can be overcome.
"I think it’s a matter now of political will and also it’s a matter of people’s organizations making known their voices to be heard," Ledesma said.
Ledesma said President Arroyo had already expressed support for CARP’s extension. She has agreed to certify it as urgent once it passes committee level. It has passed the committee level in the lower house.
"We are hopeful. In fact, she has indicated already, and also legislators. But we are still hoping this kind of activity [summit] will show that there is widespread support for this kind of advocacy.
Accounting of funds
Meanwhile, Senator Aquilino Pimentel told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak the prospects for CARP’s extension by the Senate "looks pretty good."
"There is a consensus to extend CARP because it is needed. But the devil is in the details," he said.
Pimentel said the Senate wants an accounting of the billions of funds spent for CARP.
"The moneys that have been appropriated for CARP should be duly accounted for. And we do not see that yet. Because every time the CARP is in danger of extinction, they just come back to us and say we need more money to keep CARP alive. But we have to level with the people. Where did the money go?" Pimentel said.
He said he has come across court cases of lands being overvalued, and landowners being paid as much as P1 billion. "How can you sustain that? The concept of just compensation must be different for the agrarian reform program if you compare that with the just compensation requirement of expropriations," Pimentel said.
He estimated that CARP extension by the Senate would likely be after June 2008
TAG: Reform