A multi-sectoral group, the Negros CARP Reform Movement, was formed recently by farmers and agrarian reform advocates in Negros Occidental to push for the extension of the land reform program, a press release from the group said.

NCRM, whose spokespersons are Pastor Emmanuel Alano and Kid Bañas, said it recognizes all local initiatives of peasant organizations calling for CARP extension.

It also encourages all advocates to work together in support of the farmers and dream of farmworkers to assume access and control of the land that they till, the group said in a press release.

NCRM said that as landowners are intensifying their efforts to scuttle the CARP extension, it is pushing for the enactment of the CARP extension bill the House of Representatives filed by Akbayan Rep. Riza Hontiveros.

It also said that it supports and endorses to the House the resolution of the 1st Negros Occidental Cooperative Congress last October which, among others, pushes for the extension of CARP for another 10 years and the annual appropriation for P30 billion for CARP implementation, the press release said.

It also said it is pushing for the Department of Agrarian Reform include as success indicator the improvement in the quality of life of agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Local government units, NCRM said, should also enforce the collection of real estate taxes on the actual cultivator of the land during a particular tax period and should not refuse payment of real estate taxes from individual taxpayers.*

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