Three Negros Occidental congressmen have filed a request for the House Committee on Agrarian Reform to hold a hearing on the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program in Bacolod City, too, Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) said yesterday.

Ferrer said he and Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) and Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th District) filed the request before the House Committee on Agrarian Reform.

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law ends in June this year and Congress is determining whether to extend it or not.

The request was filed after a House hearing on CARP for Negros Island was held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, last week.

To allow stakeholders from Negros Occidental to also adequately air their concerns for or against CARP a hearing should also be held in Bacolod City, Ferrer said.

He said hopefully this will be done in April.

Ferrer said although he is a member of the House Committee on Agrarian Reform no consensus was taken among members before the hearing venues and dates were set.

That is why the Negros solons were not able to attend the Dumaguete hearing because of prior commitments, Ferrer said.

Acting Gov. Isidro Zayco also said he would make a similar request for a CARP congressional hearing in Bacolod if there are groups in Negros who wish it.

“I have to know if stakeholder groups in Negros Occidental want a hearing in Negros so I can  back my the request with names of those seeking it,” Zayco said.*CPG

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