Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III is now accelerating the inventory of idle government-owned lands (GOLs) under Executive Order 75 of 2019, including state colleges and universities (SCUs) nationwide as part of commitment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment.
He clarified there will be no moratorium to stop the distribution of GOLs and SUCs.
The Department of Agrarian Reform is processing the evaluation of over 56,000 hectares of GOLs nationwide.
About 26,000 lands have yet to be validated and targeted for distribution for free to qualified beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
“We will evaluate and make an inventory of coverable SCUs and identify which areas are being used for agri-research. Only those areas not used for this purpose will be covered for distribution to qualified beneficiaries of the CARP,” the DAR chief said.
Only those that are not used for educational purposes shall be included in the inventory of lands for SCUs, he stressed.
He said he has already instructed field officials to closely coordinate with the SCUs so that only those that are no longer used for educational purposes will be included in the inventory.
EO 75 instructs all government agencies to identify, validate, segregate, transfer and distribute GOLs suitable for agriculture, no longer used for the purpose which they have been reserved and this will be intended for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.
“According to Section 40 of RA 6657, agricultural lands can be distributed to landless war veterans, landless surviving spouses and orphans of war veterans, and landless retirees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police,” Estrella said.
Under DAR Administrative Order No. 03 of 1997, aside from AFP and PNP beneficiaries, returnees, surrenderees, and similar beneficiaries, shall be provided with agricultural lands.
To encourage the youth to engage in farming, agricultural graduates are also included as beneficiaries as stated under Administrative Order No. 3vof 2020.
“We need a new breed of farmers who will be scientifically prepared and be engaged in a scientific method of farming to increase their production and income and thereby be a contributor to economic development,” Estrella maintained.