The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) is calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize land reforms in the use of government-owned lands, citing concerns about plans to lease large areas to corporations.
In a statement, FFF chairman Leonardo Q. Montemayor said some government agencies appear to be disregarding the Constitutional mandate for agrarian reform and Executive Order (EO) No. 75 issued by former President Duterte in 2019.
Thus, FFF is urging President Marcos to intervene and ensure that agrarian reform remains a priority in the use of government-owned lands.
Montemayor emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in land-use decisions, particularly when considering proposals from large corporations.
“The government must not forget its constitutional obligation to promote social justice and equity in land distribution. Instead of prioritizing deals with big businesses, the government should focus on empowering small farmers and ensuring their access to productive land,” he said.
The EO requires unclassified public lands and government-owned lands suitable for agriculture to be turned over to the Department of Agrarian Reform for distribution to qualified beneficiaries.
Montemayor’s statement comes amidst plans by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of National Defense (DND), and Department of Justice (DOJ) to lease significant portions of land under their control.
He specifically cited the DENR’s plan to auction off a million hectares of denuded forests for restoration by private companies seeking carbon credits and investments.
Additionally, he expressed concern about tens of thousands of hectares within government reservations being eyed by agencies like the Philippine Army and the DOJ’s Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for conversion into plantations and other projects.
As an example, Montemayor pointed to the Kibaritan Military Reservation in Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur, where the Philippine Army is considering transforming farmland occupied by Higaonon indigenous and Christian farmers into a “hybrid banana plantation” with investors.
“Take the case of the 46,000-hectare Kibaritan Military Reservation covering several municipalities in Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur. The Mindanao Army Training Group (MATG) in Camp Kibaritan, Kalilangan, Bukidnon is forcibly removing Higaonon indigenous and Christian farmers from their 195-hectare farm area that are devoted to food crops. Many of them had been there before the reservation was proclaimed in 1963,” he said.
The BuCor and the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) also have plans to carve out 26,000 hectares from the Iwahig Penal Colony in Palawan for a mega-economic and manufacturing zone.