Task Force Mapalad yesterday slammed the Negros Occidental provincial government for its commissioned study on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and business groups for allegedly “desperately trying to block the extension of the CARP.

The Capitol’s study said 97 percent of the agrarian reform beneficiaries covered by a survey claimed they had not received government support services and 70 percent said they have had no economic gains.

The study among others recommended that the government prioritize extensive support services to ARBs, focus on coverage of lands under the Voluntary Offer to Sell program and impose a moratorium on compulsory acquisition.

“All these only indicate that the campaign orchestrated by those who are bound to lose their lands, especially First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and Cong. Ignacio Arroyo, are frantic in their efforts in the face of the truth,” Edna Sobrecaray, TFM spokesperson said in a press statement.

TFM also dared Capitol to come out with its methodology in conducting the survey in the face of evidence gathered by TFM that even the information gathering alone is doubtful.

The survey should be handled by a reputable institution or firm like the Social Weather Station or Pulse Asia and not by “hirelings of Capitol” who are part of a “sham survey,” it said.

TFM also called the proposal of Jose Ma.  Zayco of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry to put off the implementation of CARP as “absurd” because consultations have long been conducted.

It seems now, Sobrecaray said, “that officials and businessmen who were opposed to the CARP before and do not even care about the farmers are now howling over the supposed lack of assistance.”

“This is the biggest hypocrisy of all,” she said.

Sobrecaray, citing beneficiaries who had gone to the Capitol to seek help, also called on other farmers “not to be used by vested interests” whose true intent is to “keep us chained to land. They do not want us to be free.” 

Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Gov. Joseph Marañon, said he did not know what was wrong with a study that points out the need to address the lack of support services for farmer beneficiaries.

We simply documented what the farmer beneficiaries in the field feel, he said.

The Department of Agrarian Reform should look at the study positively, we are reporting what is going on in the field and they should do something about it, Valencia said.

The results of the study were the perception of the beneficiaries, not that of the provincial government, we simply collated and documented what they told us, Valencia said.

It is not our purpose to put CARP down, the study was conducted to get feedback from the field so the program can be improved, he said.

“What is wrong with recommending that they (DAR) should extend support services, and improve data banking?” he asked.*

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