‘Distribute govt-owned agri lands to qualified parties’

PRESIDENT Duterte has ordered the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to acquire government-owned agricultural lands for eventual distribution to qualified beneficiaries.

Under Executive Order 75 signed by the President last February 15, all agencies were mandated to identify lands suitable for agriculture and submit a list of these lands to DAR, indicating the location and area of

the said lands, actual use and a legal basis of ownership.

“The DAR, in coordination with the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] shall cause the preparation of an inventory of government-owned lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture and no longer actually, directly and exclusively used or necessary for the purpose for which they have been reserved or acquired. Agencies whose lands

are covered by such inventory shall be furnished a copy thereof,” read a portion of the EO, a copy of which was just released to the media on Wednesday.

The DAR, Department of Agriculture and the DENR were also tasked by the President to validate the lands identified to make sure that it falls within the conditions specified in the EO.

Within 60 days from the effectivity of the order, the DAR and the Department of Justice shall also formulate the implementing rules and regulations regarding the validation, segregation, transfer and distribution of government-owned lands.

The DAR and the DOJ shall also provide for an expeditious procedure for the resolution of protests involving the validation and segregation of government-owned lands.

Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones earlier said the order will pave the way for the distribution of government-owned agricultural lands that were supposed to have been distributed under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The Duterte administration’s agrarian reform program or CARP 2 is anchored on the state policy to implement agrarian reform, citing Article XIII Section 4 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

Article XII Section 6, provides that the State shall apply the principles of agrarian reform for stewardship, whenever applicable in accordance with law, in the disposition or utilization of other natural resources, including lands of the public domain under lease or concession suitable to agriculture.

There are lands of the public domain that remain unclassified and are currently used for agricultural, or food production, or are suitable for agriculture.

Some of these lands remain idle and can be made productive to alleviate poverty in rural areas.