RECEIVED
Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS |
First Regular Session =| REGISTRATION UNIT
i

. yr BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE
HOUSE BILL NO. 114 ——_—A_r—rE

Introduced by REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution mandates the State to undertake an agrarian reform
program founded on the right of farmers to own directly or collectively the lands
they till. Towards this end the State shall encourage and undertake the just
distribution of all agricultural lands. Congress thus enacted Republic Act 6657,
otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) on 10 June
1988, which initially targeted to distribute agricultural lands over a period of ten
(10) years through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

After 10 years of CARP implementation in 1998, the Land Acquisition and
Distribution (LAD) component of the program was not yet completed. Thereafter,
Congress passed Republic Act 8532 to augment the funding for CARP until June
2008

By 2008, studies have shown that the CARP has made a positive impact on
the lives of agrarian reform beneficiaries, especially those in established Agrarian
Reform Communities who have experienced significantly higher farm incomes.
Still by June 2008, around 1.2 million hectares still needed to be covered and
distributed to agrarian reform beneficiaries. Hence, Congress passed Republic Act
9700 otherwise known as the CARPER law, extending the LAD for another five
years or until 30 June 2014

As of February 2014, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) reported
to the House Committee on Agrarian Reform that 790, 671 hectares of agricultural
lands remain to be covered under CARP. Additionally, there are still approximately
283,473 hectares of agricultural lands without Notices of Coverage (NOCs) as of
January 2014. These lands are mostly large landholdings under compulsory
acquisition or 10 hectares and below.



Sec. 63 of R.A. 6657, as amended, also appropriated Php 150 Billion for
the LAD from the Agrarian Reform Fund. But as of December 2013, a reported
Php 25 Billion is left to fund the LAD beyond 30 June 2014. After the completion
of the LAD, the yearly appropriation shall be allocated fully to support services,
agrarian justice delivery and operational requirements of the DAR and other CARP
implementing agencies.

At the Agrarian Reform committee hearing last 05 March 2014, the DAR
categorically expressed that they will not be able to finish all Notices of Coverage
(NOCs) for the said hectarage by 30 June 2014. The DAR declared that they
recommend the filing of an amendment of Sec. 30 of R.A. 9700 to continue the
issuance of NOCs beyond 30 June 2014 to complete the targets for CARP.
coverage. Thus, a House Bill No. 4296 was filed pursuant to DAR's plea. However,
it was unfortunate that the 16 Congress was not able to pass such an important
measure.

It is Congress’ responsibility to provide the policy environment to ensure
that the agrarian reform program fulfill its promise of giving land to the tillers as.
enshrined in the 1987 Constitution.

Therefore, in order to fulfill the mandate of the Constitution on social justice,
this bill is filed to continue and complete the land acquisition and distribution
component of the CARP.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of the bill is urged.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

“414

House Bill No.

Introduced by Rep. Teddy Brawner Baguilat

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled.

ANACT
MANDATING THE COMPLETION OF THE LAND ACQUISITION AND DISTRIBUTION
(LAD) COMPONENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM
(CARP) BY JUNE-30-2014 PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6657, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE “COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM LAW’, AS AMENDED

SECTION 1. The land acquisition and distribution component of the comprehensive
agrarian reform program shall be compieted by-June-30-2044 WITHIN TWO YEARS.
FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT.

SEC. 2. Section 30 of Republic Act No. 9700 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Section 30. ISSUANCE OF NOTICES OF COVERAGE, ACCEPTANCE OF
VOLUNTARY OFFER TO SELL AND Resolution of CaseS AND/OR
PROCEEDINGS. - THE DAR SHALL CONTINUE TO ISSUE NOTICES OF
COVERAGE AND ACCEPT VOLUNTARY OFFERS TO SELL BY
LANDOWNERS OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS COVERED BY REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 6657, AS AMENDED [WITHIN TWO YEARS FROM THE
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACTJUNTHJUNE-30,2044. SUCH ISSUANCE OF
NOTICE OF COVERAGE OR ACCEPTANCE OF VOLUNTARY OFFER TO.
SELL STARTS THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6657, AS AMENDED

Any case and/or proceeding, AS INITIATED BY THE ISSUANCE OF A
NOTICE OF COVERAGE OR ACCEPTANCE OF A VOLUNTARY OFFER



TO SELL, involving the implementation of the provisions of Republic Act No.
6657, as amended, which may remain pending ea-dune-30,-2044 [TWO
YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT] shall be allowed to
proceed to its finality and be executed even beyond such date.”

SEC. 3. The funding source provided under Section 21 of Republic Act No. 9700 shall
further be utilized from the effectivity of this Act until the complete acquisition and
distribution of all agricultural lands covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program (CARP).

Provided, that after the completion of the land acquisition and distribution component of
the CARP, the yearly appropriation shall be allocated fully to support services, agrarian
justice delivery and operational requirements of the DAR and the other CARP
implementing agencies.”

SEC. 4. Term of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agrarian Reform (COCAR).
- The term of the COCAR shall end six (6) months after [THE EXPIRATION OF THE
EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT].

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders, issuances, rules
and regulations, or part thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby likewise repealed
or amended accordingly.

SEC. 6. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or provisions of this Act is
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days upon publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.