Bataan 1st district Representative Geraldine B. Roman recently filed a bill that intends to complete the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), and have a second phase that will provide subsidies for the acquisition and distribution of farmland to its beneficiaries.
On House Bill 223, Roman said that while the mandate on agrarian reform is clear in the Constitution, the government’s action on it is unclear.
“For the duration of time does not mean the end of the agrarian reform program. The challenge of the time is to ensure that it can be continued because it is an important part of the national development and social justice program,” said Roman.
Under House Bill 223, when the agrarian reform beneficiaries have completed the payment within the 30-year amortization schedule and interest charges, they will be provided by the government with an initial investment after being granted a Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), in addition to the credit facilities and automatic qualification in various services including housing, education, and loans.
Despite the failure of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) to fulfill its statutory obligation to ensure implementation within the five-year grace period, Roman said the explanation for the failure was simple, PARC did not meet from 2006 to 2016.
“Agriculture continues to be one of the weakest links in our country. A higher incidence of poverty is prevalent in the farming sector, particularly among landless farmers and farm workers. Much has been said and done about the agrarian reform program in the Philippines. Much is still to be said. Much is still to be done,” the “Pambansang Congresswoman” added.
Roman advocates equal opportunities for all Filipinos. For her, equality is the treatment of individuals without barriers, wrong views, or preferences, unless it is different and justified.