Kabataan Partylist Rep on CARP

Below is the Explanation of Vote of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino against HB 1257 An Act Accelerating the Completion of the Land Acquisition and Distribution Component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), By Providing Automatic Appropriation Thereof, and Addressing Major Implementation Problems of the Program, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 6657, As Amended, Otherwise Known as “The CARP Law of 1988” and Executive Order 129, As Amended :

I vote “NO” to HB 1257, I vote “NO” to extending the present Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

I vote NO because CARP extension would only create more opportunities for land owners and agribusiness firms to further consolidate their control over agricultural lands.

HB 1257 specifically provides for a “farmland as collateral,” an essential element of market-oriented land reform. Farmers who would avail of this provision may just find their lands foreclosed, thus resulting in the return of already-redistribut ed agricultural lands to the ownership of landlords and big agribusinesses.

I vote NO HB CARP extension because the present CARP has failed to stop bankrupt farmers from selling or transferring distributed lands despite so-called prohibitions on such transfers.

CARP failed to fulfill the constitutional mandate on agrarian reform program, as clarified by the Supreme Court by stating that “through the agrarian reform, the farmer at last will be released not only from want but also from the exploitation and disdain of the past and from feelings of inadequacy and helplessness; the farm will be his/her portion of Mother Earth that will give not only the staff of life but also the joy of living”.

I vote NO to HB 1257as it could be used by landlords, big agribusinesses and those with personal motives and interests to push for initiatives to develop corporate farms and facilitate foreign and local agricultural investments through the concept of a so-called Agrarian Reform Community (ARC). The ARC, I believe, would only increase the insecurity and loss of land tenure in the countryside.

Finally, I vote NO to CARP extension because it is clearly only meant to perpetuate the present flawed and bogus CARP in order to suit the needs of big landlords and agribusinesses. To pass this legislation would prove detrimental especially to small and landless farmers since introducing reforms to the present flawed CARP undermines the historical and rightful claim of farmers to own the land they till for free.

I vote NO because I firmly believe that requiring farmers to pay for the land they till is the biggest flaw of the present CARP – merely making it a real estate transaction between landlords and farmers with the government acting the role of broker.

Instead of extending the flawed CARP, Kabataan Party-list calls for a genuine land reform program that upholds land distribution as key to its success and completion. ###

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:34

Carl Marc Lazaro Ramota
carlramota@gmail. com
cmlramota@post. upm.edu.ph