Noy: All CARP land distributed by 2014

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino committed to farmers yesterday that his government will make sure all lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) will be distributed by June 2014.

“Between now and June 2014, all agricultural lands shall be covered and distributed to qualified beneficiaries,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told a news briefing.

This was among the agreements Aquino and farmers’ groups affirmed in their meeting at Malacañang, wherein the Chief Executive

reiterated his commitment to agrarian reform.

Lacierda also mentioned that “priority shall be given to landholdings 25 hectares and above” and that “notice of coverage (NOC) will be issued on or before December 2012.”

Lacierda also said that policemen and soldiers, along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, will be “mobilized” for such purpose.

NOCs of lands of more than 10 hectares will be out in December this year. For those below 10 hectares, the notices shall be issued not later than July 2013.

The CARP Law or Republic Act 9700 has also allocated P150 billion to successfully complete the program’s implementation.

A multi-stakeholders mechanism was also put in place, composed of representatives from the Department of Agrarian Reform, non-government groups, farmers groups, Church and several federations.

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), meanwhile, said that the farmers groups had a “positive” meeting with the President yesterday.

In an interview over the Church-run Radio Veritas, CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (Nassa) executive secretary Fr. Edu Gariguez said the two-hour meeting with Aquino uplifted the hopes of farmers from Mindanao, Visayas and Southern Tagalog. – With Evelyn Macairan