[ Manila Bulletin Online ] March 31, 2008
By DAVID CAGAHASTIAN
President Arroyo yesterday reiterated the need to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to distribute over one million hectares of agricultural lands yet to be covered by the land reform program.
Mrs. Arroyo made the endorsement for the extension of CARP at the presentation in Malacañang of the memorandum of agreement between San Miguel Foods Inc. and the Sumilao farmers to resolve a dispute over the 144 hectares of land in Sumilao, Bukidnon.
"Nakikita ng mga mamamayan na gumagana ang land reform kaya kailangang ma-extend ang land reform," she said after her meeting with representatives of the Sumilao farmers in Malacañang.
Mrs. Arroyo had certified as urgent the bill extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) for 10 years after it expires on June 10, 2008.
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said almost seven million hectares of agricultural lands have been distributed to over four million farmer-beneficiaries under CARP, but over a million more hectares have yet to be distributed to another two million beneficiaries.
San Miguel and the Sumilao farmers signed a compromise agreement to resolve a dispute over 144 hectares of land in Sumilao, Bukidnon, now owned and being developed into a multi-million peso hog farm by San Miguel.
Under the agreement, San Miguel would give 50 hectares of the original disputed land, and acquire 94 hectares outside but adjacent to the disputed land to give to the Sumilao farmers the complete 144 hectares of land they demand.
The farmers are now identifying their preferred parcels of land outside the original disputed property from a list provided by San Miguel.
The agreement was signed by Ramon Ang and Francisco Alejo for San Miguel; Antonio Medina, representative of original owner Norberto Quisumbing; Samuel Merida, Larry Carjo, Mercy Serona, and Napoleon Merida Jr. for the Sumilao farmers; DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman, and Secretary Conrado Limcaoco of the Office of the President.
The Sumilao farmers asked for Mrs. Arroyo’s intervention to regain ownership of the disputed 144 hectare land, and Mrs. Arroyo ordered to revoke a conversion order to revert the land’s classification from agro-industrial to agricultural use.
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