Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary Jesry Palmares is eyeing to build more agrarian reform communities (ARCs) and empower them.
This, according to the former vice mayor of Passi City in Iloilo province, is in line with the marching order of President Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos Jr. to focus on food sufficiency and security.
Palmares also sees the need to cleanse the list of the agrarian reform program beneficiaries and resolve the problems and issues involving Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA).
“Kinanglan ma-accomplish ang tanan nga problematic areas sa CLOA, in a way nga maka-comply sila pagparcelize sang mga lands for the beneficiaries. If that is achieved kag naset up na tanan, ma-awardan sila sang ila titles completely, then we have to move and create a community which is the [ARC],” he said.
“Kinanglan malegitimize anay ang ARC para mabuligan sila sang husto.”
Palmares is heading the Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Division of DAR.
He said it is not enough to just give the land to the beneficiaries. The land must not remain idle and the farmers must make their land productive.
“I will make sure kon maplastar na na tanan I will find nga mafundingan sa foreign ang pagsupport sa ila through farm implements, farm inputs and equipment, and farm to market roads. The intention is to look for fund nga masupport na sila sa ARC,” said Palmares.
The creation of more ARCs is expected to address the common problem on beneficiaries selling the awarded lot to others instead of using it.
“May ARC kita para maidentify ta kon sin-o gid ang insakto nga nagapanguma sang lupa. Iban pagkuha sang CLOA, ibaligya nila. Magwa na sya sa record kon indi sila active amo na gani nga kinanglan i-organize ang tanan nga mga area nga may ara officers, members and participants gid, budlay kon waay,” said Palmares.
The Ilonggo official also vowed that he will see to it that his office will do its best to settle the problems and concerns of the farm beneficiaries.
“I hope the farmer beneficiaries should be honest enough to till their lands nga gintao kananda indi nanda pag itao sa iban or i-resell so that the support will also be valid,” said Palmares.
“So cooperation lang kag honesty ang ginapangayo namon para matarget naton ang food sufficiency nga gina preparahan kag ang food security…Let’s cooperate nga mahit naton ang target nga magdamu ang aton farmers kag mangin productive ang aton duta because the threat to food security is already very clear…Its coming in and it will be a big problem sa aton sa bilog nga Pilipinas kon indi ma-address,” he stressed.
Palmares is the first Ilonggo to be appointed by the President.IMT
