Background:

• The CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER) is a social justice bill pending in Congress and introduced by Congressperson and Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel through House Bill 4077 and Senator Gringo Honasan through Senate Bill 2666.[1]
• Ensure the adequate and secure funding of CARP, the installation of beneficiaries, the availability of competitive support services, and the rationalization of the Department of Agrarian Reform as the chief implementing agency of agrarian reform[1].
• Congress has constitutional duty to enact a law extending CARP. It has no discretion not to extend CARP because the constitution itself mandates for congress to implement agrarian reform. However, as the 14th Congress of the Philippines nears its conclusion come this 2010, no law extending CARP has been passed yet.[1]
• The CARPER Bill almost reached the third and final reading for approval were it not for the Congress which, instead of voting for the bill, issued Joint Resolution No. 19 as a measure for both Houses to act on the pending bills for CARP extension.[1]
• The 10 salient provisions of CARP Extension with Reforms through House Bill 4077 and Senate Bill 2666 are the following:[1]
• Compulsory Land Acquisition and Distribution with at least 147 Billion Pesos from the General Appropriation Act;
• Collateral free credit and increasing support services to farmer beneficiaries;
• Actual and peaceful installation of farmer beneficiaries;
• Indefeasibility of Emancipation Patents (EP) and Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs);
• Recognition of Women as program beneficiaries in the CARP;
• Creation of an Oversight Committee;
• Recognition of farmers’ legal standing in cases;
• Protection of farmers from harassment cases;
• Prohibition on conversion of agricultural lands and;
• Increase penalty for obstruction of CARP implementation.

Bayani Fernando

• Present on the meeting called by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr. of the Philippines Free Press to support the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) which lapsed on December 2008[2]

Chiz Escudero

• Favors CARP, but it was “conditional on Congress buckling down … and passing meaningful legislation … correcting the shortfalls of the existing program … [which] has not improved the quality of life of our people, particularly the beneficiaries of this program.”[3]
• Government and DAR must be able to show that they could improve CARP, and farmers should have improved their lifestyle through utilizing the land given instead of merely acquiring them[4].

Dick Gordon

• Silent

Gilbert Teodoro

• Wanted to claim the 3,100-hectare land in Laur, Nueva Ecija for Mt. Pinatubo victims so that they would be able to live and cultivate the area[5]
• CARP eventually awarded this land to farmers through the Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA)[5].

Jejomar Binay

• “Congress has effectively yielded the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program to landed interests, and no less than the family of Mrs. Arroyo will benefit from this action.”[6]
• “While the implementation of CARP needs to be reviewed, the net effect should always be beneficial to the farmers. Congress should always look after the interest of the farmers, in keeping with the Constitution.”[6]
• Administration makes promises that it cannot keep, and famers’ incredible patience is wearing thin[6].

Jinggoy Estrada

• Filed CARPER counterpart Senate Bill No. 2047 (SB 2047)[1]
• Introduced SB 616, which ensures security of tenure for agrarian reform beneficiaries over lands awarded to them by the CARP. It also provides guidelines for the cancellation of emancipation patents and certificates of land ownership awards, penalties for violations thereof, and other purposes[7].
• One of the five co-authors of the CARPER Bill[8].

Joker Arroyo

• Will oppose any new measure that would include the acquisition and distribution of new lands[9]
• Instead of acquiring and distributing new lands, the new CARP should concentrate its funding on the provision of extension services to existing beneficiaries[9].
• “A law that can no longer achieve its goal after 20 years should no longer be extended. We should concentrate first on revitalizing support services and suspend acquisition.”[9]

Joseph Estrada

• His government’s highest priority was agriculture, food security, and agrarian reform[10].
• Would like to be known as the president who completed land reform in the country[11].
• CARP was slowly implemented under his government since he has only distributed 108,907 hectares of land, a low amount compared to President Ramos’ government wherein 210,000 were distributed and President Aquino’s government, which distributed 111,700 hectares[12].

Kiko Pangilinan

• One of the five co-authors of the CARPER Bill[13]

Loren Legarda

• Filed Senate Resolution 449 to determine remedial measures to reform CARP[14].
• Called a complete assessment of CARP – how much land was distributed, the government’s ability to provide for the landowners’ compensation and if the beneficiaries were indeed emancipated from poverty[15].
• Also urged an audit of agricultural expenditures and monitoring of the agricultural fisheries modernization program[15].
• As chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, the Senator wants a review of the country's tariff liberalization program for agricultural products, including sugar, in the face of stiff competition spawned by low tariff production[15].
• Sugar planters and farmers should be provided support and subsidies, and that sugar workers should be provided livelihood in the off-season[15].

Manny Villar

• Believes that “Since time immemorial, there have been severe inequalities in the distribution of land in the Philippines.”[16]
• CARP implementation must be thoroughly reviewed to serve as an essential guide to its extension[17]
• Supported Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman's advocacy of sustaining the gains of CARP and its continued relevance to rural growth and development[17].
• “CARP does not end in redistributing lands but more importantly, it is a comprehensive program that can really uplift the socio-economic status of our millions of farmers in the countryside… serving as vehicle not only for social justice but also for poverty reduction, agricultural productivity, job generations and economic growth.”[17]

Mar Roxas

• “First, nobody paid the beneficiaries. Second, people sold the lands or used these lands to pay for loans. Eventually, the land is in the previous owner's possession again. The people don't have the capital needed. Even if the land title hasn't been formally settled yet, the land is long gone. We've seen how unsuccessful the program was so it's important we learn from the mistakes.”[18]
• "Rice supply is of great concern. We cannot depend anymore on other country's exports."[18]

Miriam Santiago

• Despite filing for CARP extension, she has labeled the legislation as a failure[19].
• “It was meant to solidify the agricultural base of our economy but it did not achieve that," Miriam said. There were practically no support services given to farmers by the CARP[19].
• She found it hard to believe that big haciendas were exempted from the CARP but members of the middle-class that bought five to 10 hectares for their retirement were hit by the agrarian reform program when their lands were acquired for land distribution[19].

Noli de Castro

• Farmers are close to his heart since he grew up in a barrio and witnessed the hardships of farmers in tilling land[20].
• CARL (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law) is a big help for our country’s progress[20].
• Faster and more effective agrarian reforms will give hope to millions of struggling farmers who wish to gain ownership on the land they are tilling[20].
• Believes in “peace through agrarian justice”[20]

Pia Cayetano

• Silent

Ping Lacson

• “Instead of extending the CARP, which has been the milking cow of unscrupulous DAR employees during the past so many years, I am inclined to push for an efficient support program for the farmer beneficiaries already covered by the CARP. We have seen so many cases of farmer beneficiaries having land to till but with no means to do it.”[21]
• It would be better if the government channeled the funds to much-needed intervention services for the farmer beneficiaries. These services include irrigation, farm-to-market roads, post-harvest facilities and technical support, and availability of seeds and other inputs[21].