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On SUC land ownership: Sen. Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, inquires about the government policy on the land ownership of state colleges and universities (SUCs). Angara cited the Aurora State College of Technology, the Pampanga State Agricultural University and Central Philippines State University in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, and other SUCs, some of which own parcels of agricultural land for over a century now. “I’m wondering what is the government policy with respect to lands owned by the state universities and colleges… there are also laws which confer these parcels of land to state universities and colleges. So, is it the policy to override these laws which confer these pieces of land to our state universities and colleges?” Angara asked. Sen. Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, said Executive Order 75, series of 2019, stipulates that unused government lands can be distributed to qualified farmers. The problem, she said, is that these lands are not being used so SUCs might as well use it in the future. Villar defended the DAR proposed budget for 2022 during Monday’s hybrid session, November 15, 2021. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)