Presidential Adviser for Western Visayas Rafael Coscolluela yesterday said that among the recommendations he will make for the Department of Agrarian Reform terms of engagement in the implementation of land reform in Negros Occidental is the need to make local government units part of the process.

Coscolluela met with DAR personnel in Negros Occidental yesterday to get inputs. He said he has completed his consultations and will submit his recommendations soon.

He said there is need to make LGUs part of the process to help facilitate proper dialog with the landowners and farmer beneficiaries to come up with something that is mutually beneficial, without ending up in conflict.

President Arroyo had asked Coscolluela to come up with proposed terms of engagement following reports of land reform conflicts in Negros Occidental, especially in Hacienda Velez Malaga in La Castellana town. Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and the mayors of the province have complained about DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman's failure to consult them in the implementation of land reform in Negros Occidental.*CPG

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