Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III has recently convened the 150th meeting of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council Executive Committee (PARC ExCom), and bared the Marcos administration’s plans and programs after the expiration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and CARP Extension with Reform (CARPer).
PARC is the highest policy-making body of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
In a news release, the DAR chief, in his capacity as PARC vice chairman, said he was tasked by the President, to convene the meeting to announce the directive to use the remaining P10 billion of the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF) and “to realize his dignified goals for our farmers.”
The ARF is what remains of the P50 billion fund allocated for implementing CARPer.
Estrella expressed in the meeting his determination to adopt the President’s recommendation for the release and utilization of P10 billion from the ARF balance, which will be used for:
Landowners compensation, with an amount of P1.4-billion for documented landholdings with pending claims that are due for payment;
Support services budget, with P7.85-billion for the implementation of projects, including agri-extension services, distribution of farm input support and farm machinery to agrarian reform beneficiaries, infrastructure development and public works projects, among others;
Additional P500 million for administrative and operating expenses needed for the implementation of the above components of the agrarian reform program; and
Institutional human resources for capacity development programs, P250 million to empower and enhance the competencies of the department for its effective implementation.