BACOLOD CITY – Hundreds of farmers belonging to national peasant federation Task Force Mapalad kicked off a series of campaigns for the continuation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) with implementation reforms.
The campaign is part of a nationwide drive to push Congress and the present administration to speed up and complete the distribution of all agricultural landholdings to landless tillers nationwide before President Benigno Aquino steps down from office in June 2016.
Dubbed “Pangatok sa Puertahan Sang Congressmen,” the Negros Occidental leg of the campaign was launched October 20 with TFM farmers’ march starting from the Bacolod Capitol to the residences and district offices of members of the House of Representatives in the province and a door-to-door delivery of appeal letters to the lawmakers to vote for the immediate passage of House Bill 4296 and House Bill 4375.
House Bill 4296 seeks to renew the Department of Agrarian Reform’s authority to issue notices of coverage and provide funding for agricultural landholdings that have not yet been placed under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
The HB 4296 was certified as urgent by Aquino four months ago but has not yet been passed by the House on third and final reading. The Senate has already done its part by approving last September its counterpart Senate Bill 2278 authored by Sen. Gregorio Honasan.
House Bill 4375 seeks to create an independent Agrarian Reform Commission with legal powers of subpoena and contempt that would review the actual accomplishment of CARP and investigate circumvention and violations of the CARP Law.
The same proposed measure would protect the interest of farmer-beneficiaries by compulsorily acquiring and distributing agricultural landholdings found to have circumvented the program. The HB 4375 was only passed by the House on second reading and needs a counterpart bill from the Senate.
“Sa kabila ng sobrang paghihirap na aming dinaranas dahilan sa kawalan ng karapatang ariin ang lupang aming pinagyaman at magtamasa ng bunga ng aming pinaghirapan ay hindi pa rin po kami nawawalan ng pag-asa. Ito po ay dahil sa alam naming may mga mambabatas na katulad n’yo na magtatanggol sa aming karapatan,” reads a portion of the letter that was delivered to Bacolod Rep. Evelio Leonardia and Negros Occidental 4th District Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer.
“Ang pagsang-ayon po ninyo at pagboto na ma-aprubahan ang House Bill 4296 na inihain nina Congressman Teddy Baguilat and Cresente Paez at House Bill 4375 na inihain nina Congresswoman Kaka Bag-ao at Leni Robredo ay isang napakalaking hakbang po para matupad ang aming pangarap na ariin ang lupang aming sinasaka,” TFM told the lawmakers in the appeal letters.
The farmers will deliver the same letters either to the residences or district offices of the following Negros representatives: Franz Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District); George Arnaiz (Negros Oriental, 2nd District); Alfredo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District); Leo Rafael Cueva (Negros Occ., 2nd District); Manuel Iway (Negros Or., 1st District); Julio Ledesma IV (Negros Occ., 1st District); Alejandro Mirasol (Negros Occ., 5th District); Pryde Henry Teves (Negros Or., 3rd District); and Mercedes Alvarez (Negros Or., 3rd District).
Also, a separate letter with the same appeal was sent by the Social Action Center-Diocese of Bacolod to the same Negros lawmakers, which was signed by the SAC’s Director Fr. Ernie Larida.
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