FACTS:

In 16 January 1958, President Carlos Garcia issued Proclamation No. 467 reserving for the
Mindanao Agricultural College, now the CMU, a piece of land to be used as its future campus. In
1984, CMU embarked on a project titled "Kilusang Sariling Sikap" wherein parcels of land were
leased to its faculty members and employees. Under the terms of the program, CMU will assist
faculty m embers and employee groups through the extension of technical know-how, training
and other kinds of assistance. In turn, they paid the CMU a service fee for use of the land. The
agreement explicitly provided that there will be no tenancy relationship between the lessees and
the CMU.
When the program was terminated, a case was filed by the participants of the "Kilusang Sariling
Sikap" for declaration of status as tenants under the CARP. In its resolution, DARAB, ordered,
among others, the segregation of 400 hectares of the land for distribution under CARP. The land
was subjected to coverage on the basis of DAR's determination that the lands do not meet the
condition for exemption, that is, it is not "actually, directly, and exclusively used" for educational
purposes.
ISSUE:
Is the CMU land covered by CARP? Who determines whether lands reserved for public use by
presidential proclamation is no longer actually, directly and exclusively used and necessary for
the purpose for which they are reserved?

HELD:
The land is exempted from CARP. CMU is in the best position to resolve and answer the question
of when and what lands are found necessary for its use. The Court also chided the DARAB for
resolving this issue of exemption on the basis of "CMU's present needs." The Court stated that
the DARAB decision stating that for the land to be exempt it must be "presently, actively exploited
and utilized by the university in carrying out its present educational program with its present
student population and academic faculty" overlooked the very significant factor of growth of the
university in the years to come.