Militant party list Anakpawis today said that the Department of the Agrarian Reform is only giving false hopes to farmer beneficiaries with the plan to extend the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
“CARP cannot cure the problem of landlessness and land monopoly. Its prescribing period has already lapsed but still many farmers have no lands to till. Extending it will further the suffering of millions of farmer beneficiaries in the country,” said Anakpawis partylist representative, Fernando Hicap.
Hicap said “DAR is doing a senseless battle using farmer beneficiaries as cannon fodders to get another P150 Billion pesos budget for another two years extension of CARP.”
“Disenfranchised farmer beneficiaries from different haciendas like Luisita and Dolores in Central Luzon. Hacienda Looc and Yulo in Southern Tagalog, Hacienda Sta. Isabel and San Antonio in Isabela province and the Cojuangco haciendas in Negros.
These are but examples of vast track of lands that continuously evade land distribution using CARP’s non-land transfer schemes like the joint venture, stock distribution options and lease agreement,” Hicap said.
Hicap said all farmer beneficiaries should push for the passage of HB 252 or the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill to advance their fight for free land distribution.
