The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) conducted a three-day 2022 1st semester formative assessment and 2nd semester catch-up planning conference to assess what has been accomplished and make plans to integrate the commitments made by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) particularly on agrarian reform.

DAR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Research Office (PPRO) Atty. Luis Meinrado C. Pañgulayan, said given the limited resources, the conference will be done in two (2) parts.

Part 1, he said, will be focused on the presentation of the 1st sem accomplishment versus the targets, problems, issues, needs and concerns encountered, and the 2nd sem catch-up plan. While part 2 will involve the Executive Committee and Management Committee face-to-face session with the sector and region one-on-one sessions.

“One of President’s top priorities in his first SONA is that agrarian reform must continue. The President has vowed to issue an Executive Order to impose a one year moratorium on the payment of land amortization and interest payments. Second, is for the Congress to pass a law to amend Section 26 of RA 6657. And third, is the implementation of Section 14 of R.A 6657, as amended,” Pangulayan said.

Pangulayan said the proposed law to be passed by the Congress, is intended for the condonation of loans of ARBs with unpaid amortization and interest. 

The DAR is also mandated to pursue EO 75 to include in its coverage as beneficiaries the landless war veterans, landless surviving spouses or orphans of war veterans, landless retirees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. Agricultural lands acquired under this program are also targeted for distribution to graduates of college degrees in agriculture who are landless.