Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday reiterated his call for a review of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law when it expires in 2008 to determine if the lives of the beneficiaries had really benefited from the program.

The review should also determine if the land reform beneficiaries are still tilling the land given to them, he said.

Marañon yesterday furnished the media copies of a position paper opposing house bills calling for the extension of the agrarian reform program beyond 2008.

Marañon said a copy of the position paper submitted to the House had been furnished to him. The position paper states that "the undisputed facts show that the agrarian reform program has failed."

The paper stated that as of December 2005 DAR had acquired and distributed 3.639 million hectares of agricultural land representing 85 percent of the target, and securing the land tenure of 2.1 million farmers. This is in addition to the 2.937 million hectares distributed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the study said.

For the distributed 3.6 million hectares, DAR has used P103.9 billion with an average annual finding of P5.47 billion from the agrarian reform fund, the position paper said.

However, the position paper points out that DAR's study on CARP funded by the German Technical Cooperation shows that Philippine agriculture is now in a "state of distress."

Despite its 32 years, agrarian reform has failed to significantly reduce rural poverty levels, the study said.*CPG

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