4,000-hectare land in CV awarded under CARP in 2010

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Agrarian Reform has distributed more than 4,000 hectares of land last year to over 2,000 farmer beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

In its accomplishment report, DAR-7 officials claimed to have distributed a total of 4,042 hectares of land holdings to 2,973 farmer beneficiaries under the Land Tenure Improvement component of the program.

The number of hectares covered was 135-percent more than its 3,000-hectare target for 2010. According to DAR, it has a total working scope of 36,423 hectares for land distribution, 78.2 percent or 28,489 hectares was already distributed to 25,672 farmer beneficiaries.

Aside from land distribution, DAR-7 reported 118-percent accomplishment in the adjudication of agrarian cases. The records show that the adjudication board has resolved 355 more than its 300 target.

The nature of cases includes just compensation and regular cases such as ejectment, fixing and collection of lease rentals, recovery of possession, and cancellation of Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA). It also accomplished agrarian legal assistance with the resolution of 2,755 cases.

It also reported 881 new members of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries organization.

DAR officials said that the agency has another program which is the Programang Agraryo Iskolar. The said program is designed to provide qualified dependents of the beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program an opportunity to study and complete an agriculture-related four year college degree course from state universities and colleges with financial support from DAR under a competitive screening system. The scholarship grant consists of tuition fee assistance, monthly stipend, and book allowance.

The said program aimed to develop a group of highly motivated, technically equipped and well educated dependents of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) who will assume responsibility for managing and making productive the land awarded to them under CARP and to act as agents of change in the agricultural sector in order to encourage rural growth and development.

Applicants must be a legitimate dependent of an ARB, high school graduate with a general average of at least 80 percent at the time of application, must have passed the college admission test given by the state colleges and universities where the applicant intends to enroll, must be in good health and of good moral character, preferable single, not more than 25 years old, must not be convicted of any crime, and does not have any pending administrative or criminal case.

Scholars are not oblige to render service to the department and are free to make their own choice.

Interested applicants are required to bring accomplished application form with pictures and a copy of birth certificate. – Mellanie C. Rosales/FPL (THE FREEMAN)