Robin Resolution Seeks Probe of DAR's Agri Information Services

Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla on Monday filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the Department of Agrarian Reform's delivery of Agricultural Information Services.

In Senate Resolution 1016, Padilla particularly sought to look into the rights and limitations attached to the Certificate of Land Ownership Awards, and on the available government agricultural credit and financing assistance.

Padilla's resolution sought to have the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which he chairs, to handle the investigation in aid of legislation.

"The government owes it to our farmers, the country's food producers, to provide adequate and understandable information on their rights under the CARP law, as well as the available credit and financing assistance being implemented by the national government agencies to aid in the promotion of their welfare," he said in his resolution.

"Giving our farmers access to this relevant and critical information will be beneficial in achieving the promise of the CARP law: that is, providing farmers and farmworkers with the opportunity to enhance their dignity and improve the quality of their lives through greater productivity of agricultural lands," he added.

In his resolution, Padilla said that while the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) sought to benefit landless farmers and farm workers when it was passed in 1988, the country's farmers remain to have the highest poverty incidence in basic sectors at 30 percent, based on 2021 figures of the Philippine Statistics Authority.

He added one of the criticisms against CARP is that the public remains "misguided, if not totally uninformed," of the processes and procedures in implementing the law - resulting in farmers losing lands to rich landowners.

Also, he said the Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) has not been fully understood by farmer-beneficiaries.

Padilla cited the case of at least 2,000 farmers in Sitio Balubad, Barangay Anunas, Angeles City who "despite having legitimate CLOAs, were forced to relocate following the claim of a private corporation that the nature of the land being disputed is residential."

He cited as well the issue of retention of land ownership, which prompted DAR to conduct a national validation of farmer beneficiaries to make sure agrarian reform beneficiaries properly used the land distributed. He noted awardees were forced to sell their lands because of lack of access to credit facilities or government support.

"There is a need to package information in an impactful language with the consideration that its intended end-users are not familiar with the highly technical issuances from government agencies," Padilla said.

Resolusyon ni Robin, Bubusisiin ang Agri Information Service Program ng DAR

Naghain nitong Lunes si Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla ng resolusyon na bubusisiin ang Agricultural Information Services ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Sa Senate Resolution 1016, nais ni Padilla tingnan ang karapatan at limitasyon ng Certificate of Land Ownership Awards, at pati na rin ang "available government agricultural credit and financing assistance."

Nais ni Padilla na hawakan ng Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, na kanyang pinamumunuan, ang investigation in aid of legislation.

"The government owes it to our farmers, the country's food producers, to provide adequate and understandable information on their rights under the CARP law, as well as the available credit and financing assistance being implemented by the national government agencies to aid in the promotion of their welfare," ani Padilla sa kanyang resolusyon.

"Giving our farmers access to this relevant and critical information will be beneficial in achieving the promise of the CARP law: that is, providing farmers and farmworkers with the opportunity to enhance their dignity and improve the quality of their lives through greater productivity of agricultural lands," dagdag niya.

Sa resolusyon niya, ipinunto ni Padilla na bagama't layon ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) ang bigyan ng benepisyo ang magsasaka, nananatiling mahirap ang mga magsasaka - na may poverty incidence in basic sectors na 30 porsyento, base sa 2021 figures ng Philippine Statistics Authority.

Dagdag ni Padilla, kulang ang impormasyon para maunawaan ng publiko ang mga proseso sa pagpapatupad ng batas. Dahil dito, nawala sa maraming magsasaka ang kanilang lupa, at napunta sa mga mayayamang landowner.

Ipinunto rin ng mambabatas na ang Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) ay hindi nauunawaan ng mga farmer-beneficiaries.

Ani Padilla, hindi bababa sa 2,000 magsasaka sa Sitio Balubad, Barangay Anunas, Angeles City ay may lehitimong CLOA, pero napilitan pa ring mag-relocate matapos nagpahayag ang isang pribadong korporasyon na ang lupa nila ay "residential."

Naipunto rin ni Padilla ang isyu ng retention of land ownership, na umudyok sa DAR na gumawa ng national validation ng farmer beneficiaries para tiyakin na nagagamit nang tama ng agrarian reform beneficiaries ang naipamahaging lupa. Ani Padilla, ang ilang awardees ay napilitang ibenta ang lupa nila dahil wala silang access sa credit facilities o government support.

"There is a need to package information in an impactful language with the consideration that its intended end-users are not familiar with the highly technical issuances from government agencies," ani Padilla.