Arroyo push for CARP extension draws flak
MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's push for the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for another five years drew flak from known critics of her administration.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said that more than the CARP's extension, farmers need adequate support services from the government to make sure they would have the means to till their land.
Worse, Lacson said the CARP had been turned into a milking cow for unscrupulous parties, including some officials and employees of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
"Instead of extending the CARP, which has been the milking cow of unscrupulous DAR employees during the past so many years, I am inclined to push for an efficient support program for the farmer beneficiaries already covered by the CARP. We have seen so many cases of farmer beneficiaries having land to till but with no means to do it," Lacson said.
For his part, incoming Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said Mrs Arroyo's certification of the CARP extension bill as urgent "betrays the Arroyo family's agenda behind CARP."
"Giving CARP a new lease in life will only perpetuate landlessness, poverty and hunger in the countryside. Ms Arroyo’s support for the extension of the bogus CARP is not in contrast to the agenda of the Arroyos to retain ownership and control of their lands," Mariano said.
At present, the House of Representatives is working on a proposed law (House Bill 4077) to extend by at least five years the life of CARP, which lapses this month. The proposed CARP extension measure also provides for a corresponding budget of P100 billion.
Mariano, instead, is pushing for House Bill 3059 or the proposed Genuine Agrarian Reform Act filed by the late Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and other progressive party-list solons.
Amendments
On the other hand, the Catholics Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said that while it is for the CARP extension, certain amendments should be made on the pending bill.
"We cannot speculate what will happen. But one thing I know, ang simbahan mas malakas ang advocacy for extension [of CARP law] reform than 10 years ago when it was amended," said CBCP spokesman Monsignor Pedro Quitorio.
Quitorio, however, did not elaborate on the amendments the CBCP wants on the pending House bill.
Still, Lacson stressed it would be better if the government channeled the funds to much-needed intervention services for the farmer beneficiaries. These services include irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities and technical support, and availability of seeds and other inputs.
More importantly, he said there should be no monkey business this time. He said the last thing farmers want is to see a repeat of the P728-million fertilizer scam engineered by then Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante.
"Government intervention is much needed on that aspect. I would suggest that CARP funds, whatever is left of it, should be re-channeled to this effort," Lacson said.
"Besides, I have information that the government has been losing cases before the courts lately. Is this happening based on the merits, or is it happening for millions of reasons?" he added. - with a report from D'Jay Lazaro, GMANews.TV
In a statement issued Tuesday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said that more than the CARP's extension, farmers need adequate support services from the government to make sure they would have the means to till their land.
Worse, Lacson said the CARP had been turned into a milking cow for unscrupulous parties, including some officials and employees of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
"Instead of extending the CARP, which has been the milking cow of unscrupulous DAR employees during the past so many years, I am inclined to push for an efficient support program for the farmer beneficiaries already covered by the CARP. We have seen so many cases of farmer beneficiaries having land to till but with no means to do it," Lacson said.
For his part, incoming Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano said Mrs Arroyo's certification of the CARP extension bill as urgent "betrays the Arroyo family's agenda behind CARP."
"Giving CARP a new lease in life will only perpetuate landlessness, poverty and hunger in the countryside. Ms Arroyo’s support for the extension of the bogus CARP is not in contrast to the agenda of the Arroyos to retain ownership and control of their lands," Mariano said.
At present, the House of Representatives is working on a proposed law (House Bill 4077) to extend by at least five years the life of CARP, which lapses this month. The proposed CARP extension measure also provides for a corresponding budget of P100 billion.
Mariano, instead, is pushing for House Bill 3059 or the proposed Genuine Agrarian Reform Act filed by the late Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran and other progressive party-list solons.
Amendments
On the other hand, the Catholics Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said that while it is for the CARP extension, certain amendments should be made on the pending bill.
"We cannot speculate what will happen. But one thing I know, ang simbahan mas malakas ang advocacy for extension [of CARP law] reform than 10 years ago when it was amended," said CBCP spokesman Monsignor Pedro Quitorio.
Quitorio, however, did not elaborate on the amendments the CBCP wants on the pending House bill.
Still, Lacson stressed it would be better if the government channeled the funds to much-needed intervention services for the farmer beneficiaries. These services include irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities and technical support, and availability of seeds and other inputs.
More importantly, he said there should be no monkey business this time. He said the last thing farmers want is to see a repeat of the P728-million fertilizer scam engineered by then Agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante.
"Government intervention is much needed on that aspect. I would suggest that CARP funds, whatever is left of it, should be re-channeled to this effort," Lacson said.
"Besides, I have information that the government has been losing cases before the courts lately. Is this happening based on the merits, or is it happening for millions of reasons?" he added. - with a report from D'Jay Lazaro, GMANews.TV
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