ANGARA MULLS POSSIBLE REMEDIES ON CARP FUNDING

In the recent en banc meeting of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM), Senator Angara stressed the need to define and prioritize an immediate plan of action for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program as it will expire within the year.

"Since it will expire by June, I have commissioned a special committee under COCAFM composed of members of both Houses in order to come up with an independent study that will provide a clearer perspective on the different scenario that may take place in extending CARP and its funding as well as key legislative actions we must urgently make," said Angara, who also chairs Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food.

The law, already extended by 10 years, is scheduled to expire on June 10, 2008.

In 1988, Republic Act No. 6657 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law was enacted and became the legal basis for the implementation of CARP.

Under the said law, landless farmers and workers may now own directly or collectively the lands they till or to receive a share of the fruits of the land.

According to the Department of Agrarian Reform, there are almost seven million hectares of agricultural lands which have already been distributed to over four million farmer-beneficiaries, but there still remains over a million hectares of private agricultural lands yet to be distributed to another two million beneficiaries.

Various comprehensive and academic studies have established empirical data that CARP, where it was successfully implemented have contributed to poverty alleviation, establishment of peace in the countryside, and improved the welfare of agrarian reform beneficiaries.1

Led by Angara, the 6-man COCAFM sub-committee will be composed of three members each for both Houses, which includes: Palawan Rep. Abraham Kahlil "Baham" Mitra, Sorsogon Rep. Salvador Escudero III, Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, Senators Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan and Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri.

Working closely with a group of technical people composed of academes from University of Asia and the Pacific and the University of Philippines-Los Banos and research institutions such as the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, the sub-committee is expected to submit the independent study before COCAFM on May 1, 2008.

"I believe that agriculture is the best and most cost-effective weapon against poverty. We must therefore work towards putting an aggressive program to attain further development especially in the rural and agricultural areas of our country, "said Angara.