Agrarian Reform Program In Full Swing In Mindanao

Agrarian Secretary Nasser Pangandaman gestures during a news conference Friday, 02 June 2006, in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. Pangandaman inspected agrarian reform projects in Basilan, where security forces are hunting down Abu Sayyaf bandits. Troops are securing land reform programs in the strife-torn island. (Zamboanga Journal)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 02 Jun) Agrarian Secretary Nasser Pangandaman braved Basilan, where troops are hunting down remnants of the bandit group Abu Sayyaf, to inspect the government's land reform program in the troubled island, south of Manila.

Pangandaman said the government is pursuing to implement the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in the whole country to benefit the poor farmers, especially in Basilan island and Mindanao. He also met with regional department officials in Zamboanga City.

"We are working hard to complete the agrarian reform program not only in Basilan island, but the whole country and the government is sincere in pursuing these reforms for the benefit of our farmers," he told the Zamboanga Journal.

At present, he said, there are 13 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) run by farmers in Basilan: The United Workers Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative in Isabela City; The Latuan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc., also in Isabela; Sta. Clara Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative, Inc., in Lamitan town; Lamitan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative also in the same town; the Tipo-Tipo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Development Cooperative in Tipo-Tipo town; the Tipo-Tipo Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative; the Tumahubong Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative in Sumisip town.

The others are the East Sumisip Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative in Sumisip town; the Cabato Tahajid Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative also in Sumisip; Mangal Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in Sumisip town; Canas Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Development Cooperative in the town of Maluso and the Tairan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Agricultural Multi-purpose Cooperative in Lantawan town.

Aside from the ARCs, he said the Department of Agrarian Reform als helped in putting up a resettlement area in Sumisip with 4 agrarian reform Cooperatives -- the Alih, Ismael, Muhtamad Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative; the Sampinit Agrarian Reform Program Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative; the Baiwas Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative and East Mahatallang Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative.

Almost half of Basilan's 135,892 hectares are planted to coconut (67,638 has.), coffee (16,546 has.) and rubber (10,660 has.) and the rest to bananas, cassava, corn, rice, cacao and black pepper, but some 40,650 hectares are still covered by thick forests.

Pangandaman said the government soldiers are helping secure the implementation of agrarian reform program in Basilan, where Abu Sayyaf bandits are actively operating.

"Our program is protected by the police and military. Security forces are helping us in protecting the beneficiaries and agrarian reform projects in Basilan," he said.

When asked whether landlords in Mindanao are cooperating with the DAR in the implementation of the CARP, Pangandaman said many of them were supportive of the program.

"We have no problems with them, in fact many of them are supportive of the DAR program. The agrarian reform program is in full swing in Mindanao," he said.