YEARENDER: DAR determined to complete land reform

MANILA, Philippines - Even before its 2014 target deadline, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has maintained its position to distribute the remaining 1.093 million hectares of agricultural lands under the agrarian reform program.       

Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes said the budget for landowners’ compensation is no longer much of a problem unlike before when it used to be the biggest stumbling block to land distribution.

“The clearest signal of the President’s determination to complete agrarian reform is in the 2011 budget and the proposed 2012 budget. The 2011 budget fully funds the land acquisition and distribution target of the DAR and this will also be for 2012,” De los Reyes said.

He added that despite knowing that some 940,000 hectares or 94 percent of the remaining hectares are considered contentious and privately owned, field implementers have given their commitment to complete the program on or before the deadline.

As of now, only 25 percent or about 250,000 hectares remain problematic because of strong opposition from land owners, disputes among contending farmer-beneficiaries, illegal transfer of land, and problems with land boundaries, De los Reyes said.

He stressed that it is unfair to judge the DAR by its low accomplishments in 2009 and 2010, which he blamed on the delay in the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9700 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program extension with reform (CARPer) Law.

Last Nov. 23, what is perceived as the most controversial landholding – that of Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI), owned by the Cojuangco-Aquino families – was ordered distributed to rightful farmer-beneficiaries by the Supreme Court (SC).

In a 56-page ruling, all 14 justices unanimously agreed that the contested land should be distributed by the HLI to 6,296 farmer-beneficiaries pursuant to an order of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council in December 2005.

De los Reyes assured all major stakeholders of the HLI that DAR would be ready to distribute the vast sugarcane plantation to farm workers once the SC’s decision becomes final and executory.

He said the DAR had already prepared its plans even before the high court issued its ruling. But he added that the decision could still be appealed by HLI.

The DAR recalled that the farmers found themselves in the same situation six years ago when the department and the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) delivered to them what they thought was an early Christmas gift – an order revoking HLI’s stock distribution plan, and declaring the immediate distribution of the vast hacienda.

Their celebration was stalled, however, when HLI was able to secure a last-minute temporary restraining order (TRO) from the SC, which was later lifted by the high court.

In the July 5, 2011 ruling, the SC upheld the decision by the DAR and the PARC revoking a 1989 stock distribution option in lieu of land distribution under the 1988 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

But it also allowed each of the farm workers to make a choice – either a piece of farm lot or shares of stock.

In the ruling, the SC directed the DAR to conduct another referendum in Hacienda Luisita for farmers to again choose whether they want to have their own land or shares of stock.

But Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) secretary-general Danilo Ramos said the so-called “new referendum is a license for the Cojuangco-Aquinos to perpetuate their more than five decades of feudal exploitation in Hacienda Luisita.”

Meanwhile, lawyer Antonio Ligon, representing HLI and acting on the recent ruling of the SC, said the Hacienda Luisita management would respect the SC decision.

“I’m not saying that they (hacienda owners) are happy. But they respect it. We shall abide by it.”

“We have no aversion to land distribution. We will be ready to cooperate as to the implementation of the order. The Cojuangco-Aquino family is ready for that. But then if we see something questionable, we will have to question it,” Ligon said.

He also raised the issue of why only the 6,296 beneficiaries will benefit from the ruling when based on their records, there are still some 4,000 farm workers who should also benefit.

“The 4,000 farmer-workers are mostly relatives of those in the original list who also helped and worked in the sugar estate,” he said.

De los Reyes said farm worker-beneficiaries in Hacienda Luisita could farm collectively and get their respective individual titles.

“They can have the best of both worlds,” he stressed.

The secretary issued this advice as debate heated up on whether a collective certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) should be issued or individual CLOAs be handed out to each of the 6,296 farm worker-beneficiaries.

Ligon however, added they would still file a pleading before the SC since they need to clarify specific points in the ruling.