By Leslie D. Venzon
MANILA, June 30 (PNA) — The government on Monday reiterated that distribution of land to farmers continues despite the expiration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) on June 30.
“Patuloy po ang land distribution. So the end of CARPER does not mean the end of land distribution. We are in the process of distributing lands based on those properties, based on those land holdings that have been issued Notices of Coverage (NOC),” said Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda in a press briefing.
Lacierda said Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes is committed to pursuing and to issuing the NOC.
“In fact, naka-issue siya until today, last day na ngayon ng issuance of Notice of Coverage. Yes, there have been significant improvements on the amount of land holdings being covered by CARP,” he said.
An NOC initiates the compulsory acquisition and distribution of private agricultural lands, one of the modes of distribution under the CARPER.
“The early part of CARP, ang kina-CARP kasi natin ‘yung mga huge government holdings na walang problema sa taumbayan because these are government lands. Pwedeng kunin kaagad. We are now going through landholdings which are owned by private individuals na talagang there will expectedly be resistance,” he added.
The expired land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of the CARPER was in pursuant to Republic Act No. 6657, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. (PNA)