Duterte wants Presidential Agrarian Reform Council reconvened

President Rodrigo Duterte wants the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) reconvened this month, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Rafael "Ka Paeng" Mariano said Monday.

Mariano told Jessica Soho on "State of the Nation" on Monday that it was during the first Cabinet meeting that he raised the issue.

He added that the Council is the highest policy-making body in implementing agrarian reform laws.

Based on Republic Act 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988, the Council is composed of the President of the Philippines as Chairman, the Secretary of Agrarian Reform as Vice-Chairman and the following as members; Secretaries of the Departments of Agriculture; Environment and Natural Resources; Budget and Management; Local Government: Public Works and Highways; Trade and Industry; Finance; Labor and Employment.

Also included in the council are the Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority; President, Land Bank of the Philippines; Administrator, National Irrigation Administration; and three (3) representatives of affected landowners to represent Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; six (6) representatives of agrarian reform beneficiaries, two (2) each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, provided that one of them shall be from the cultural communities.

On the status of ownership of land by farmers, Mariano said nine out of 10 farmers do not own the land that they till.

He explained that as of December 2015, the DAR has distributed 4.7 million hectares but this comprises only 10 percent of the total number of hectares that still have to be awarded to farmer-beneficiaries.

The problems of farmers, however, does not stop at receiving land because there are other issues and payments that have to be considered such as land amortization and real property tax, he added.

Mariano said there are flaws and loopholes in the existing agrarian reform law, but these will continue to be implemented.

Mariano said he will prioritize the inventory of lands that still have to be distributed, properties that were already turned over to farmer-beneficiaries, among others.

He will also initiate a review of resolutions, exemptions, cancellation of land titles, emancipation patterns as well as agri-business venture agreements.

"Hindi lang sa Hacienda Luisita (ang may problemang repormang agrarian), marami ang nasa Negros," said Mariano.

One big challenge is the resistance of land owners, he added.

The DAR started distributing government owned lands, large tracts of private owned lands have yet to be reviewed under the DAR laws.

Mariano headed the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and was Anak Pawis party list Respresentative before he was appointed Agrarian Reform Secretary.

Mariano, also a former street parliamentarian, has decided to open the two main gates of the DAR office.

He said this was done to symbolize a policy on open and continued dialogue on agrarian reform.

He has also isntructed officials of DAR to meet the farmer-beneficiaries, greet them and listen to their problems, help them.

"Wala dapat magsasaka ang mapapatalsik sa kanilang lupa," he said. — BAP, GMA News