AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Nineth Congress
Third Regular Session

[ REPUBLIC ACT No. 7905, February 23, 1995 ]

AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM PROGRAM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. Section 35 of Republic Act No. 6657, otherwise known as the "Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law of 1988", is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 2. Section 36 of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 36. Funding for Support Services. - In order to cover the expenses and cost of support services, at least twenty-five percent (25%) of all appropriations for agrarian reform shall be immediately set aside and made available for this purpose: Provided, That for the next five (5) years, a minimum of one (1) Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) shall be established by the DAR, in coordination with the local government units, non-governmental organizations and people organizations in each legislative district with a predominant agricultural population: Provided, further, That the areas in which the ARCs are to be established shall have been fully subjected under this law.

"For this purpose, an Agrarian Reform Community shall be defined as a barangay or a cluster of barangays primarily composed and managed by Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who shall be willing to be organized and undertake the integrated development of an area and/or their organizations/ cooperative. In each community, the DAR, together with the agencies and organizations abovementioned, shall identify the farmers association, cooperative or their respective federation approved by the farmers-beneficiaries that shall take the lead in the agricultural development of the area. In addition, the DAR shall be authorized to package proposals and receive grants, aid and other forms of financial assistance from any source."

Section 3. Section 44 of the same law is hereby amended as follows:

Section 4. Section 45 of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Section 45. Province-by-province Implementation. - The PARC shall provide the guidelines for the province-by-province implementation of the CARP, taking into account the peculiarities and needs of each place, kind of crops needed or suited, land distribution workload, beneficiaries development activities and other factors prevalent or obtaining in the area. In all cases, the implementing agencies at the provincial level shall promote the development of identified ARCs without neglecting the needs and problems of other beneficiaries. The ten-year program of distribution of public and private land in each province shall be adjusted from year to year by the province's PARCCOM in accordance with the level of operations previously established by the PARC, in every case ensuring that support services are available or have been programmed before actual distribution is effected."

Section 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

This Act which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 2019 and House Bill No. 13785 was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on February 20, 1995 and February 16, 1995, respectively.

Approved: February 23, 1995

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

"Section 35. Creation of Support Services Office. -There is hereby created the Office of Support Services under the DAR to be headed by an Undersecretary.

"The Office shall provide general support and coordinative services in the implementation of the program, particularly in carrying out the provisions of the following services to farmer beneficiaries and affected landowners:

"Section 44. Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM). - A Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee is hereby created in each province, composed of a Chairman, who shall be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the EXCOM, the Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer as Executive Officer, and one (1) representative each from the Departments of Agriculture, and of Environment and Natural Resources and from the LBP; one (1) representative each from existing farmers' organizations, agricultural cooperatives and non-governmental organizations in the province; two (2) representatives from landowners, at least one (1) of whom shall be a producer representing the principal crop of the province, and two (2) representatives from farmer and farmworker or beneficiaries, at least one (1) of whom shall be a farmer or farmworker representing the principal crop of the province, as members: Provided, That in areas where there are cultural communities, the latter shall likewise have one (1) representative.

"The PARCCOM shall coordinate and monitor the implementation of the CARP in the province. It shall provide information on the provisions of the CARP, guidelines issued by the PARC and on the progress of the CARP in the province; in addition, it shall: