Marcos allays fears of massive seeing of agrarian reform lands
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday allayed fears of massive selling of agrarian reform lands given to beneficiary-farmers, saying the government will be extending sufficient technical support to them.
During a media interview after the signing of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act and awarding of titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Malacanan Palace, the President also cited that farmers are forced to sell their lands because they have no money to buy agricultural inputs.
“Ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit ang nabibigyan ng titulo ay ipinagbibili kaagad ‘yung lupa nila ay dahil wala silang pambayad ng inputs, hindi sila makautang, wala silang pagkukuhanan ng binhi, wala silang pagkukuhanan ng fertilizer, ng pesticide. Wala silang pambili,” the President said.
“Wala naman silang magagawa kaya’t ‘yung dati ‘yung mga nasubukan noong una ay pinag-aralan ito nang mabuti at nakita natin ‘yung naging karanasan ng mga ibang bansa. At nakita nga namin pagka basta titulo lang ibinigay mo at wala ng ibang suporta, mangyayari talaga eh wala naman hindi naman nila maisaka, mangungutang na naman sila doon sa ‘yung dating may-ari. Tapos hindi makabayad. Tapos na-corner na naman ? pinapakyaw na naman ‘yung kanilang produkto, et cetera, et cetera,” he added.
With the new agrarian reform system in place, President Marcos assured there would be available options and technical support services for them to continuously till their farmlands.
“Ngayon, kaya’t isinama maliwanag na maliwanag at binibigyan ng halaga ang patuloy na suporta upang magkaroon ng pautang para sa ating mga beneficiaries, upang may technical support. Meron tayong ibinibigay na pagkukuhanan ng binhi, pagkukuhanan ng murang-mura na fertilizer. Lahat ‘yan ay ating ginagawa para maging matagumpay naman ang kanilang pagsaka nung kanilang bagong natituluhang lupa,” the President said.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III said they are constantly reminding ARBs that they would have to wait for 10 years before they could sell the lands given to them by the government.
“Ayon sa batas kailangan ‘pag naiabot sa kanila ang kanilang titulo, kailangan maghintay sila ng sampung taon bago nila maibenta ang lupa sa iba,” the Agrarian Reform chief told reporters.
“Sapagkat ‘pag nalaman po ng Agrarian Reform na kanilang ibinenta ang lupa nila na hindi pa lumalampas ang sampung taon, babawiin po ng pamahalaan at ibibigay natin sa ibang beneficiary ang lupa po,” Estrella added.
He also pointed out that an information and awareness campaign would prevent the ARBs from selling their agrarian reform lands.
The new agrarian reform law would condone around P57 billion debt incurred by more than 600,000 ARBs tilling around 1.7 million hectares nationwide.
Estrella pointed out that the new law would not be “unfair” to ARBs who have already paid their debts.
“Palagay ko hindi naman magiging unfair sapagkat mayroon ding inilalaan ang pamahalaan ng ating mahal na Pangulo…para sa mga prompt payers, ‘yung mga maagap na magbayad katulad ng mas maraming support services natural ang ibibigay natin sa kanila,” he said.
Estrella added the situation in the past and today for ARBs is different, citing the developments that have been detrimental for workers in the agriculture sector.
“Katulad, halimbawa, nagmahalan ang mga farm machineries equipment and other inputs sa buong mundo ito kaya humirap ang buhay ng ating magsasaka. Nagkaroon pa ng pandemic,” Estrella said.
“Nagkaroon pa ng distribution ngunit hindi natin siguro masisi sila dahil gusto lang nilang i-accelerate ang pagdi-distribute ng certificate of land ownership awards kaya nag-distribute sila ng collective CLOAs na walang namang parcelization,” he added.
Parcelization, Estrella said, is identifying a particular tract of land that an ARB would own and till.
“Kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa World Bank dahil tumutulong sila dito sa parcelization natin. Iyon din nagkaroon ng confusion at hindi rin na-update ang payment of amortization fees. Lahat ‘yan pinagsama-sama, mahirap nang mangolekta,” he said.
“Mas magiging magastos pa sa pamahalaan ang mangolekta kaysa ang ibigay na lang natin na libre ang lupa. Kaya hindi naman unfair. Makikinabang naman silang lahat,” Estrella added. Presidential News Desk
