CLARK FREEPORT — Outright free land distribution and writing off amortization dues covering about P59.9 billion from 912,766 agrarian reform benefi ciaries (ARBs) nationwide.
These are the appealsto Pres. Duterte by Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Ariel Casilao said such moves “would be a historical legacy for the President and the Department of Agrarian Reform under the leadership of Ka PaengMariano.”
He said the President could ask the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) to serve as financial intermediary of the government for the implementation of the Republic Act No. 6657 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) to act on such proposal affecting the compensation of landowners and collecting of payments from ARBs.
“We urge the government, especially President Duterte to write off the amortization dues, so as to realize a ‘de-facto’ free land distribution to benefit ARBs, under his administration,” he said.
Casilao noted that as of December 31, the amount to be paid by 912,766 ARBs or farmer-beneficiaries (FBs) awarded 1.558 million hectares reached to P59.91 billion.
The amount covers agrarian reform receivables (ARR) amounting to P17.15 billion dues from 480,508 FBs who were awarded 737,332 hectares.
Casilao noted that P3.6 billion of ARR’s is considered as past due, with P311.1 million currently due.
Casilao also urged Congress to fund a land inventory to establish whether ARBs are still on the lands awarded to them.
