= INFO DRIVE = CONCEPT OF LAND/AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM The problem of poverty in the Philippines is not merely an economic but also a social one, characterized by the extreme wealth of a few and the extreme deprivation of the many, and so, a mere increase in the production of goods will only make, as it has been making, the rich richer and the poor relatively poorer, the solution should have two-prolonged objective: 1. To reform the structure of wealth and income distribution in order to make it equitable;and 2. To increase economic production. There might be a number of remedial programs that could make prolonged attack on poverty. But the key remedial program should be that which would benefit the greatest number of Filipinos. Such a program is Agrarian Reform which shall be the priority program. The immediate Objectives of the Land/Agrarian Reform are the ff: a. To enable the landless farmers and farm workers to become the owners of the land they till and thereby give them full incentive to increase and diversify their production, to develop in them a strong sense of security, and create greater employment opportunities for themselves, their families, and others; b. To assist the agrarian reform beneficiaries with support services to enable them to increase their income and become successful owner-cultivators; c. To encourage and assist them to set up their own organizations, including socio-political associations and cooperatives; and thereby d. Help them enhance their economic, social, political, cultural and moral well-being. "Agrarian Reform is the cheapest way of inducing the rapid growth of mass investment and employment generation.The collective investment already put in place by the 12 million small farmers and rural workers are among the largest investment in the country today, including, as they do, investment in the raising of seasonal crops, livestock, flsh, and marine products, fruit and timber tress, and other agricultural growth of all kinds etc.,etc., Their investment and employment generation capability shall be considerably increased with minimum incentives and capital outlay, by, among others, giving them security of tenure of the land they till, licenses and permits for working on public land, for gathering forest products, for catching fish fry, and engaging in various forms of acquaculture, by the adoption by the government of policies to provide them with reasonable prices for their products, by the construction of farm-to-market roads, etc.,etc." - jum. All the foregoing are included in the concept and program of agrarian reform. IMPLEMENTATION: I. Land Reform Program The presidential Decree no. 27, en acted, October 21, 1972 as amended. DECREEING THE EMANCIPATION OF THE TENANTS FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE SOIL, TRANSFERRING TO THEM THE OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND THEY TILL AND PROVIDING THE INSTRUMENTS AND MECHANISM THEREOF; This shall apply to tenant farmers of private Agricultural lands primarily devoted to rice and corn under system of sharecrop or lease- tenancy, whether classified as landed estate or not. II. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP); otherwise known as , The RA 6657, "COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM LAW", en acted June 10,1988.( ended June 2008). Operational this constitutional mandates provides that the CARP shall cover, regardless tenure arrangement and commodity produce, all public and private Agricultural lands, as provided in proclamation No. 131 and Executive Order 229 including other lands of public domain devoted to or suitable for agriculture.(subjected to)Land acquisition and Distribution Coverage (LAD COVERAGE). III. Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms or CARPER, was signed into Law on August 7, 2009 (5 yrs extension, will end on June 30 2014). PROGRAMS UNDER CARPER 1. Land Acquisition and Distribution 2. Support Services 3. Agrarian Justice delivery "Through the years the real income of small farmers and rural workers has not substantially improved, the much greater relative percentage of the fruits of agricultural and agricultural-related production going to the processors and traders of agricultural and agricultural related products. Moreover, the glo9bal liberalization of international trade benefits more and more the international and local traders, but impoverishes more and more the small rural producers. Because the small farmers and rural workers are denied production and investment incentives, and the liberalization of international trade allows the entry of subsidized and cheap agricultural products into the country, more and more small farmers and primary rural producers find it impractical to continue with their farming and farm-related occupations. And since the more favored sectors enjoying government-supplied incentives and privileges can afford to buy large agricultural arias at prices which the small landowners and cultivators cannot resist, more and more agricultural lands have been converted and continue to be converted for non-agricultural purposes. As a result of the forgoing, Agriculture is steadily being relegated to an inferior position in relation to industry, commerce and the services, Agricultural production has become less and less adequate for the country,and food security is more and more seriously threatened. In fact, the country has been importing not only rice, corn, milk, vegetables but also many other farm and fishery products. At the same time, an increasing number of displaced farmers are now swelling the ranks of the unemployed and underemployed and are aggravating the problems of overcrowding and squatting i8n the urban areas". - jum.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 07:32:23 +0000