the intermission nmber magtanim ay masaya typically depict the Filipino farmer to be happy while planting crops. this is the attitude that the DAR want to impart on the 33 agriculture graduates given the CLOA recently

DAR turns over lot to local gov’t of Tanay

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Bro. John Castriciones yesterday signed the deed of transfer turning over to the local government of Tanay, Rizal a lot for the construction of a public market and a transportation terminal.

“This lot, with the infrastructure projects of the local government of Tanay would pave the way for development in the area and open new opportunities to farmers and residents residing in the area,” Brother John said.

“Aside from this lot, the local government can count on us to help the farmers here. We are ready to extend our assistance through support services like access to credit, provision of farm machines, and various training for modern farming and entrepreneurship,” Brother John added.

Brother John said the construction of a public market would provide the residents, especially the farmers, a market near them where they can buy and sell their agricultural produce. The construction of the transportation terminal would provide farmers and residents access to transportation going to other markets and nearby barangays.

DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Saturnino Bello said the 144,000 people of Tanay, around 3,000 of which are upland farmers would greatly benefit from the infrastructures.

“Farmers will no longer have to go down to Cogeo or Antipolo markets to sell their agri-produce. And when the transportation is constructed, farmers as well as the residents can now travel to nearby towns and barangays with ease,” Bello said.

Municipal Mayor Rex Manuel Tanjuatco said the 2,646 sqm lot located in Barangay Sampaloc is surrounded by 10 other barangays namely Barangays Cuyambay, Daraitan, San Andres, Sto. Nino, Cayabu, Laiban, Mamuyao, Sta. Ines, Tinucan, and Madilay-dilay.

“This lot is very strategic. Being in the center of other barangays, the construction of a public market and a transportation terminal is what we need to achieve progress. These projects would not only make life easier for our constituents but also sustain the development of farming communities here,” Tanjuatco said.

DAR lot history

The 2,646 sqm lot owned by the DAR is part of a 3,810 sqm lot which was occupied by pioneers and actual occupants in Barangay Sampaloc since 1954. The 2,465 sqm lot was used as a resettlement area for farmers by the DAR. Through the years, it was occupied by the defunct Ministry of Human Settlement (MHS) until 1987. When MHS was abolished, it was then used by the University of Rizal System (URS) until it was transferred to the local government in Tanay in 1995.

Since then, the lot and its buildings lie unoccupied for 20 years.

It was in 2015 when the lot was subdivided, where the 1,046 sqm belonged to three occupants and 118 sqm is being used as a road lot. Mayor Rex Manuel Tanjuatco requested the DAR in 2017 for the turn-over of the lot. The lot was finally endorsed in 2019 through a memorandum to Secretary John Castriciones with the recommendation for the turn-over for the local government of Tanay.

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Photo captions:

1.     DAR Secretary Bro. John Castriciones signing the deed transferring the DAR lot to the local government of Tanay.

2.     Bro. John with Tanay Municipal Mayor Rex Manuel Tanjatco.

DAR-DA to form Joint validation team to ensure CARP covers only idle government-owned land

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have agreed to form a joint validation team to ensure that the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) covers only “idle” government-owned agricultural lands.

DAR Secretary Brother John R. Castriciones and DA Secretary William Dar reached the agreement in a meeting between them and their respective deputies last January 28, 2021 at the DAR compound in Quezon City, where they decided to work hand-in-hand in pursuit of the country’s food security program.

The formation of the joint validation team came after DAR Secretary Dar suggested that all government-owned lands be verified and validated first before deciding whether or not these should be placed under CARP coverage as provided for under Executive Order No. 75.

Under the law, DAR is authorized to place under the CARP coverage all idle government-owned land for distribution to landless farmers.

Bro. John proposed the formation of a joint validation team between the DAR and the DA, to which Secretary Dar gave a thumb’s up sign, to ensure that no government-owned farmlands that are being used in pursuit of the country’s food security program would be compromised.

Dar stressed that there are lands owned by the DA that are being used as “farm laboratories” even as he raised concerns that these may be inadvertently placed under the CARP coverage during its implementation.

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