DAR welcomes DOJ opinion vs conversion, exemption of irrigated, irrigable lands

DAR welcomes DOJ opinion vs conversion, exemption of irrigated, irrigable lands

 

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has hailed the Department of Justice (DOJ) for coming up with an opinion that seeks to stop wanton conversion and exemption of irrigated and irrigable prime agricultural lands into housing, industrial or other non-agricultural uses.

 

DAR Secretary Gil de los Reyes said that the DOJ Opinion No. 43, series of 2011 would serve as a remedial measure against excessive land conversion and exemption that threatens “the country’s self-sustainability and food security.”

 

The latest DOJ opinion categorically declares that irrigated and irrigable prime farmlands cannot be subject of an application for exemption from the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

 

De los Reyes said the opinion, issued upon the request of his office, also applies even to farmlands that are classified as commercial, industrial, or residential before June 15, 1988 when CARP was officially launched.

 

“This is a significant departure from earlier issuances of the DOJ, such as Opinions Nos. 44 and 181, series of 1990,” he said. Both issuances state that only an exemption clearance from the DAR, not conversion, is needed for all agricultural lands already duly classified as commercial, industrial, or residential before June 15, 1988.

 

The earlier DOJ issuances, particularly Opinion No. 44, have been used excessively by some landowners as a shield against the agrarian reform program.

 

De los Reyes said the DOJ Opinion No. 43 is based on the amendment introduced by the Republic Act 9700, the CARP extension with reform Law, which provides that irrigated and irrigable lands shall not be subject to conversion, as the legislative intent of the said law is “to ban any conversion of such agricultural lands.”

 

The said opinion, he added, also strengthens the government’s policy on the non-negotiability for conversion of irrigated and irrigable lands, as emphasized in various administrative orders issued by the Office of the President, the DAR, and as provided by the CARPer Law. Chad Gallardo, PAS-DAR

 

December 29th, 2011

Filed under: Agriculture and Land Reforms , DAR

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a Broadcast Journalist by profession. Currently Field Reporter of Lingkod Bayan of Tony Falcon in Crusaders Broadcasting Service-DWAD 1098 kHz AM Band every Monday to Friday at 1:00 to 2:00 P.M. and Co-Host of Professor Butch Valdes of “Ang Ating Katipunan” in RMN-DZXL 558 kHz AM Band during Sundays 8:00 to 9:00 P.M. Engaged with various community organizations that provides assistance to less fortunate/privilege Filipinos. Have been in government service for twenty (20) years and technically knowledgable of government processes/procedures and internal policies as public servant. As media practitioner, aims to be the conduit of the government to reach the grass root particularly the services and programs of the government provided for the public, vice versa to be the voice of ordinary people to the government. At your service is one of the granddaughters of the late Alberto Segismundo Cruz who is a Filipino poet, short story writer and novelist who wrote for Bulaklak, Liwayway, Silahis, Tagumpay (the country’s leading weekly magazines during his time. A poet laureate of the Republic of the Philippines in 1945 and won Commonwealth literary awards in th E1940’s and the Rizal Centennial Literary Awards in 1961. My grandfather Segismundo Cruz is one of the best 50 writers of the country. Three novels have been published by Ateneo De Manila Press entitled Piling Nobela: Lakandula, Halimuyak, Ang Bungo. This website created by the Publisher to provide genuine information that people must know and, to increase the awareness of Filipinos more of economic issues of the country. Inculcate to countrymen what must be done by the government and what must we do as citizen to attain outstanding living condition.

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