DAR-Caraga celebrates 25th CARP Anniv; bares
accomplishments
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, June 20 (PIA) – In time the 25th
anniversary celebration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP),
the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Caraga recently convened the local
tri-media for a press conference at the Prince Hotel, this city with its
officials led by Regional Director Faisar Mambuay.
Mambuay stressed that the land distribution
program boosted our farmers’ confidence as they now become real owners of the
land. “As of December 2012, 244,816 hectares of land were already distributed
to 115,254 farmers covering 93 percent of the working scope in Caraga region.
Last year, the 9,049 hectares accomplishment is the country’s highest in
percentage and the third highest accomplishment in the region since 1996. And
records would show that the region has been accomplishing 100 percent or more
in the past 12 years,” he said.
Mambuay further said that in 2012, DAR-Caraga
was named by the DAR Adjudication Board as the number one region in rate of
resolution of cases in the entire country. Legal assistance were provided to
farmers, and served justice to whom it deserved.
Mambuay added that support services were provided
by the department to ensure a better quality of life for the farmers. "In
the 25 years of CARP, Caraga region was able to launch and assist 125 agrarian
reform communities (ARCs) covering 549 barangays. These ARCs are recipient to
13 foreign assisted projects amounting to P3.5 billion.
Also, on the take off of the DAR-Caraga's
Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS),
during the 1st quarter of 2013, the department has already handed-over P8.4
million worth of common service facilities to seven organizations.
Mambuay also stressed that none in the law says
that DAR cannot distribute CARP-covered agricultural lands beyond 2014.
"Sec. 30 of Rep. Act 9700 or the CARPER Law states that distribution of
land with pending proceedings will continue beyond June 2014. By now,
DAR-Caraga had already sent notice of coverage to 2,400 landholdings covering
12,000 hectares of the Phase 3B of CARP,” he said.
The good director also announced that recently,
President Aquino has issued Administrative Order No. 34 mandating the conduct
of the best institutional arrangement of the post 2014 scenario. “Definitely,
the support will not end soon, although we believe that it has to undergo
certain evaluation to fit the needs of the present time. Program beneficiaries’
development is geared on converging strategic efforts to Agrarian Reform
beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in ARCs and other agrarian reform areas in
order to make a dent in the production and enterprise requirements of the
agrarian reform beneficiaries,” emphasized Mambuay.
Meanwhile, Mambuay expressed his thanks to the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga for its untiring support to the
department’s thrusts, programs and advocacy. He also acknowledged the vital
role of the local tri-media as partner.
The DAR’s mission is to lead in the
implementation of the agrarian reform and rural development through land tenure
improvement and the provision of integrated development services to landless
farmers and small landowners-cultivators and the delivery of agrarian justice
towards rural development and peace. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Farmers lead 25th CARP anniv in Agusan Norte
By Gil E. Miranda
BUTUAN CITY, June 19 (PIA) -- The Agrarian
Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) of Agusan del Norte led the celebration of the 25th
Anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) here.
More than a thousand of farmers highlighted the
occasion by way of a motorcade and a farmers’ forum held last June 14 in this
city.
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Caraga
Regional Director Faisar A. Mambuay said, “All we have done so far is
addressing the challenges in bringing the CARP implementation process towards
the successes of the farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries.”
“For twenty-five years of implementing CARP,
this landmark program has truly transformed farmers’ lives and communities.
Support services and legal assistance were provided to improve quality of life
of the farmer-beneficiaries.”, RD Mambuay added.
Assistant Regional Director for Operation and
concurrent Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Andre B. Atega, CESO V in
welcoming the participants of the forum said that “we welcome ourselves with
shouts and cheers to celebrate our 25th CARP success!”
During the farmers forum held at Capitol covered
court, the representatives of Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative
(BCBMPC), Land Bank of the Philippines, Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)
honored the occasion with presentation of their respective programs update.
CDA Director Genaro D. Pugata said that “last
year, DAR and CDA had signed a memorandum of agreement that aimed to improve
the delivery of much-needed support services to farmer-cooperatives through
mandatory training.”
Testimonies from Baliguian Irrigators
Association (BIA) and Tagabaca Multi-Purpose Cooperative chairpersons Wenefredo
S. Maldo and Edwin Espinosa narrated the impact of being recipients of
farm-implements from Agrarian Reform Communities Connectivity and Enterprise
Support Services (ARCCESS).
Maldo said that “dako among kalipay sa mga
ekwepo nga among nadawat gikan sa ARCCESS. Among pasalamat sa DAR uban sa
pag-ampo nga unta ang programang CARP magpadayon.”
(We are delighted to have farm-implements from
ARCCESS. We are thankful to DAR and praying that CARP program will continue.)
(NCLM/DAR-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
