News Release February 7, 2014

DAR administrative orders hamper land reform implementation

The administrative orders issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform in 2011 have hampered the implementation of the Agrarian Reform Law, according to lawmakers. Rep. Walden Bello (Partylist, Akbayan) said DARs Administrative Orders 7 and 9 seem to be detr imental to the expeditious implementation of land reform in landholdings affected by protests and exclusion or exemption cases. Bello and Reps. Ibarra Gutierrez (Partylist, Akbayan) and Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands) filed House Resolution 410 asking the House Committee on Agrarian Reform to conduct a probe on the matter. These two issuances seem to have added additional layers in the process of giving land to covered farmer-beneficiaries, Bello said. Bello said the delay caused by the two orders paved the way for several landlords to employ means such as intimidation, harassment and physical violence against farmer-beneficiaries in many parts of the country. Bello cited the case of the Matias landholding in Bondoc Peninsula, Quezon wherein the subject land was already issued with a Notice of Coverage in 2004 but the landlords embarked on a legal offensive and utilized the protest under DAR issuances. Instead of respecting the decision of DARAB, the landlords applied for exemption and th us the distribution of the land to covered farmer-beneficiaries was not implemented, Bello said. Bello said DAR and other agencies involved in the implementation of land reform law should appear before the House panel. They should answer the queries why they issued the orders in the first place, Bello said. Republic Act 9700 otherwise known as the Act Strengthening the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Act seeks the final acquisition of the remaining acquired and undistributed agricultural lands until June 30, 2014. (30) mrs