The new Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer of Negros Occidental yesterday rallied her co-workers in the province to work with her to achieve the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program target for Negros Occidental by 2008.

Teresita Depeñosa who assumed the post yesterday said that, so far, only 64 percent of the 120,000-has. target for Negros Occidental has been covered by the CARP.

We are mandated to complete this by 2008 and if there is not enough time it may be extended to 2010, she said. It is now a challenge for all of us to finish CARP, to deliver support services and agrarian justice to beneficiaries in contentious areas, Depeñosa said, at turnover rites in Bacolod City.

We will review our balance, manpower, resources and strategize how to meet our target, she said.

She took over the post of PARO of Negros Occidental from Stephen Leonidas, who was unable to attend the rites because he is suffering from dengue fever.

Many of the Negros Occidental PARO employees attended the rites in black and red shirts in protest against the abrupt relief of Leonidas.

Depeñosa, who was PARO of Siquijor and had also been assigned to Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte and Misamis Oriental, said she did not ask for the Negros Occidental assignment.

However, it is normal for PAROs to be reassigned anywhere on short notice, PAROs are like NPAs, they have no permanent addresses, Depeñosa said. She said she was not offended by the Negros Department of Agrarian Reform employees protest over the relief of Leondias, it was a normal feeling because they will miss him, it does not make her insecure.

That is their prerogative but she said she will try to win them over.

DAR Regional Director Alexis Arsenal said "Change implies adjustments which unavoidably bring about a certain amount of anxiety….the staff are torn between sadness over PARO Steve's departure and guarded anticipation at the arrival of PARO Tess."

He appealed to the DAR employees in Negros Occidental to support Depeñoso in the same way that they gave their support to previous PAROs. She did not ask for this assignment but like any good soldier she goes where her superiors direct her to go, he said.

Also present at the turnover rites was DAR Assistant Regional Director Felicidad Bañares.

Depeñosa said she considers her new assignment as "an adventure, not a challenge."

The target CARP coverage in Negros Occidental for this year is 13,000 has. plus and as of May only 26 percent has been covered, she said.

Depeñosa said DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman did not give her instructions on how to deal with the contentious implementation of CARP in Hacienda Velez Malaga in La Castellana that has caused the death of three farmer beneficiaries this year.

I am still reviewing the Velez-Malaga situation, she said, to determine how to proceed on the matter.*CPG

back to top