Centro
Saka, Inc. (CSI), a farmer-based, policy research, non-government organization
today called on the Arroyo administration to expand its policy proposal
imposing a moratorium on the conversion of agricultural lands into real estate
development purposes. CSI made the recommendation after Department of Agrarian
Reform (DAR) Secretary Nasser Pangandaman issued a memorandum imposing a
moratorium on the processing and approval of land use conversion in the DAR
central offices and regional offices.
CSI
said that the moratorium would only be worthwhile if they consider enhancing
the measure. Royandoyan explained that, "if the Arroyo administration is truly
serious in protecting the country’s prime agricultural lands, they should not
only provide a moratorium on land conversion but consider the outright
prohibition on the conversion of all irrigated and irrigable lands to
residential, commercial, and industrial purposes."
CSI
also recommended for DAR to review the status of all lands that have been
exempted from CARP coverage by virtue of Department of Justice (DOJ) Opinion
No. 44 Series of 1990. DOJ Opinion 44 provides that all lands that have been
reclassified as residential, commercial, industrial prior to June 15,1988 or
the enactment of Republic Act (RA) No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Law (CARL) are exempted from CARP coverage. "If the review reveals that
most of these lands have remained undeveloped and are still agricultural in
nature, these lands should be immediately distributed under the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Program (CARP)," added Royandoyan.
Lastly,
CSI said that politicians who were in a position to stop land use conversion of
agricultural lands should also be held accountable. Royandoyan said that, "Real
estate developers are among the main culprits in the conversion of prime
agricultural lands. Senator Manny Villar, whose family is in the real estate
business, should be asked about what he was able to do to protect the prime
agricultural sector from land conversion especially during his term as Chair of
the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food during the 13th
Congress. We can only hope that he did not protect the interest of the real
estate developers at the expense of the agricultural sector and the small
farmers."
For inquiries, please call Eugene
Tecson or Jowen Berber at 9287464/9266607.
