Name: Kattlene T.

Ganloy

CARP ISSUE

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was a landmark legislation passed during the
administration of President Corazon Aquino in 1988. Its primary objective was to redistribute public and
private agricultural lands to farmers and farm workers who were landless, regardless of their tenurial
arrangement. The program aimed to promote social justice and equality in land ownership, empower
agrarian reform beneficiaries, and improve their quality of life. The program had several issues, including
the fact that many beneficiaries were not able to till the land given to them, and instead, sold it to third
parties, leading to the conversion of farms into commercial and residential areas. Additionally, the
Department of Agrarian Reform was accused of incompetence and corruption.

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) had noble objectives, but its implementation was
marred by issues such as inadequate support services, corruption, and the failure of many beneficiaries
to till the land given to them, leading to the conversion of farms into commercial and residential areas.
To address these problems, it is crucial to improve the implementation of the program, increase support
services for beneficiaries, and ensure that the program's goals align with the needs of the farmers and
the community.

There are several issues related to CARP, such as the extended CARP law, which provided for a five-year
extension to cover the distribution of 1.1 million hectares of agricultural land and to include seasonal
farmers (sakadas) among the beneficiaries. There have been accusations that the government is
squandering billions of public funds through its continuous funding of this program, and that the
program has failed. CARP's coverage was extensive, and it included various programs such as Land
Tenure Improvement, which sought to hasten the distribution of lands to landless farmers. Beneficiaries
were offered support services such as infrastructure facilities, marketing assistance, credit assistance,
and technical assistance programs. However, despite its noble objectives, CARP faced several issues and
challenges.

One of the major issues was the allegation that the program was a failure. According to some reports,
more than 50 percent of CARP's beneficiaries were no longer tilling the land given to them. They had
illegally sold their lands to third parties in violation of the terms of their being land reform beneficiaries.
The farms bought from them were being converted into malls, golf courses, residential subdivisions, and
real estate development projects.

The second issue was the accusation that the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the government
agency responsible for implementing CARP, was incompetent and corrupt. Some critics accused the
government of failing to provide adequate support services to farmer beneficiaries. With allegations of
officials accepting bribes from landowners in exchange for favorable rulings on land ownership. This led
to the program's funds being squandered, and farmers remained poor and landless.

Third issue is Lack of support services and Land dispossession, beneficiaries complained about the lack
of support services, such as infrastructure, marketing assistance, credit assistance, and technical
assistance programs. This made it difficult for them to manage their economic and social development
effectively. Farmers who were already given Certificate of Landownership Award (CLOA) were being
dispossessed of the lands awarded to them because former landlords were retaking them. This was due
to legal loopholes and the inability of the DAR to protect the rights of the beneficiaries.

Lastly is the Incompetence and corruption within DAR. The Department of Agrarian Reform was accused
of incompetence and corruption by both left-wing militants and right-wing elements of Philippine
society. They criticized the government's inability to provide adequate support services to farmer
beneficiaries and the DAR's failure to address the issues faced by CARP and CARPEL.

Furthermore, there were disputes over the program's coverage and implementation. For instance,
Rafael Mariano, a former lawmaker and farmer, accused the Aquino government of wasting public funds
by continuously funding CARP, which he claimed was the longest-running and most expensive land
reform program in the world. Mariano argued that the government was squandering billions of public
funds through its continuous funding of this program, while millions of farmers remained poor and
landless.

In conclusion, while CARP was enacted with the noble intention of redistributing land to the landless
farmers and farm workers, its implementation was marred by various issues and challenges. Addressing
these challenges is crucial to ensuring that the program achieves its intended goals and benefits the
farmers and the society as a whole.

As a final thought, it's important to remember that effective land reform is crucial to addressing poverty
and inequality in the Philippines. It's essential to ensure that the government is transparent and
accountable in its implementation of land reform programs, and that support services are provided to
farmer beneficiaries to help them succeed in their endeavors.