Top soil needed to convert Boracay into agrarian reform area

MANILA, Philippines — To comply with the directive of President Duterte to convert the world famous Boracay island into a land reform area, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) would have to dump topsoil over more than 800 hectares of identified agricultural lands in the island after buildings and other structures have been demolished.

DAR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research David Erro explained that the plan to deposit soil to about a foot to three feet deep will help convert these areas into agricultural land and make them productive for farmers.

The President earlier promised to distribute Boracay lands to farmers after declaring the 1,032-hectare resort island an agrarian reform area. Erro said that a team from the DAR earlier identified a total of 845 hectares in Boracay that could be covered by the government’s agrarian reform program.

Twenty-five hectares of these could be immediately subjected to land reform and would be distributed to 80 Aeta families in the island.

The DAR said it already crafted an executive order to be signed by President Duterte authorizing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to transfer the management of the agricultural areas to the DAR.

“This will take effect 15 days after the President signs the EO. Once the President signs this, we can immediately begin work in the island,” Erro said. 

He said the agricultural lands are currently occupied by both residential and commercial establishments.

“To make sure that crops will grow here, dumping of topsoil has been recommended by our agricultural engineers,” Erro said.

He added that it will take time before the land could be covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program since the demolition of structures would have to be completed before topsoil could be dumped in the land.

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