DAR: Retired cops, soldiers from Pangasinan eye lands under CARP

RETIRED soldiers and policemen in Pangasinan had sought the assistance of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as they are keen on obtaining agricultural land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Unfortunately, there are presently no identified governmentowned lands suited for agriculture and distribution in Pangasinan, according to DAR.

DAR Regional I Director Maria Ana B. Francisco said Deputy Chief of Police Major Rommel Sembrano of the Urdaneta Police Office, along with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) retirees approached the DAR, in response to an announcement posted on the DAR’S Official Facebook account.

In its Facebook post, the agency instructed government veterans, rebel-returnees, and agriculture graduates, to visit any DAR office near them to find out if they are qualified to become agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBS).

Section 40 of the amended Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, lists landless veterans, retirees, rebel returnees, and other similar beneficiaries as those who will be considered potential land awardees under the CARP.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his State of the Nation Address last year also ordered the distribution of 52,000 hectares of unused government agricultural lands, under Executive Order (EO) 75, series of 2019, to qualified ARBS.

EO 75 directs the identification of all idle government-owned lands which are dedicated or suitable for agriculture for distribution to qualified ARBS.

“Secretary Conrado Estrella III has directed us to speed up the identification and validation of idle government-owned lands so we can distribute these the soonest possible time,” Francisco said.

DAR issued a memorandum last January directing all its regional and provincial officers to start processing applications of retired personnel of the AFP, PNP, rebel returnees, and agricultural graduates.

“This memorandum was issued because the DAR has been receiving numerous requests from these applicants seeking assistance to become or be identified as a potential ARB. We will be following rules and guidelines set by the government to know if these applicants are qualified,” Francisco said.