Distribution of lot allocation certificates to
farmers manifests President Aquino's commitment to implement land reform
programs during his term, Palace says
The move of the Department of Agrarian Reform
(DAR) to distribute the first batch of lot allocation certificates to
legitimate farmer-beneficiaries at Barangay Cutcut in Tarlac City is a
manifestation of President Benigno S. Aquino III's commitment to implement
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) Law
during his term, a Palace official said.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda issued
the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Friday
following reports that the DAR distributed the first batch of lot allocation
certificates at Barangay Cutcut in Tarlac City.
Reports showed that the DAR, led by Secretary
Virgilio de los Reyes, started raffling off the future landholdings of
farmer-beneficiaries on Thursday. Other barangays still waiting for their turn
include Bantog, Balete, Asturias, Lourdes, and Mapalacsiao in Tarlac City;
Parang, Pando and Mabilog in Concepcion; and Motrico in La Paz.
"‘Yan po ang pangako naman talaga na
pagkatapos ng Supreme Court decision, talagang ginawa po ng DAR ang dapat
gawin---identified all the workers, at saka mula doon, nagkaroon po tayo ng
petition for inclusion/exclusion. Doon po sa petition for inclusion/exclusion,
may period na puwedeng umangal ang sino man, kung karapat-dapat ba ang isang
beneficiary na sumama doon sa list. Walang nagpa-exclude, meron lang
nagpa-include," Lacierda said.
The DAR had already finalized the master list of
farmer-beneficiaries, Lacierda noted.
DAR Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes said the
master list was finalized based on the directive of the Supreme Court that only
those who were working in the sugar plantation under Luisita Tarlac Development
Corp in 1989 could be considered beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP).
The DAR is dividing 4,099.91 hectares of
Hacienda Luisita among 6,212 beneficiaries.
"Allocation should be finished by August
21. Allocation is preparatory to issuance and distribution of registered CLOAs,
which will happen in September. This a text from Secretary Gil delos
Reyes," he said.
Aquino vowed to distribute to legitimate farmer
beneficiaries all lands covered by the CARPER during his administration. He
also said his administration remains committed to complete the objectives of
the CARPER and attain genuine agricultural development in the country.
In June, 2012, President Aquino met with the
farmers' groups and Church officials to reaffirm his commitment to land reform
programs as well his vigorous support for the development of our countryside.
During last year's meeting with the farmers,
Church officials and other stakeholders, President Aquino approved the setting
up of a multi-stakeholders mechanism to complete the objectives of the CARPER
before it expires in 2014.
The multi-stakeholders mechanism that is
composed of representatives from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and
other CARP-implementing agencies of the government, the church, non-government
organizations, peoples’ organizations, and other farmers' groups and
federations, monitor the implementation of the CARP. PND (js)
Palace vows full inquiry of P10-billion scam
involving pork barrel funds
Malacanang vowed Friday to fully investigate the
alleged P10-billion scam over the past decade involving pork barrel funds of
senators and congressmen spent for ghost projects.
“What we would like to emphasize is all the
aspects of this travesty are being investigated fully regardless of where it
leads up. This applies to both the investigation on Janet Napoles and also in
the investigation on Cadavero,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a
press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
Janet Lim-Napoles is being implicated in a
P10-billion scam using mainly pork barrel funds of lawmakers for bogus
projects. Napoles denied the allegations saying her company, JLN Corporation,
had never transacted business with the government or any of its agencies.
Napoles is the president and CEO of JLN Corporation.
In 2001, Napoles and her husband, retired Army
Maj. Jaime Napoles, were among 18 personnel of the Navy Marine Corps and
civilians, charged by the Office of Ombudsman in connection with the
acquisition of substandard Kevlar helmets worth P3.8 million.
Napoles was also summoned by the Senate blue
ribbon committee during its investigation on the P728-million fertilizer scam
involving then Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante.
Napoles’s woes stemmed from the allegations of
Benhur K. Luy, 31, a distant cousin and her personal assistant in JLN Corp.,
that she had ordered his kidnapping and illegal detention.
Luy, who was rescued by a special task force of
NBI agents last March, outlined the alleged involvement of Napoles in the scam.
He said Napoles purportedly used funds from the lawmakers’ priority development
assistance funds (PDAF), or pork barrel, and various government entities, for
ghost projects executed by several dozen bogus contractors in the past 10
years.
The Palace said it is letting the Department of
Justice, through the National Bureau of Investigation to fully investigate the
case. PND (as)
President Aquino issues Administrative Order for
the creation of Interim Transport Terminals to decongest traffic in Metro
Manila
President Benigno S. Aquino III had ordered the
establishment of interim transport terminals (ITTs) in preparation for the
implementation of the Integrated Transport System in a bid to decongest traffic
in Metro Manila.
The directive was issued by virtue of Administrative
Order (AO) No. 40 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on July
16.
The Chief Executive ordered the establishment of
three terminals in the north, south and southwest parts of the metropolis to
provide a convenient, efficient, and systematic transport system. He
underscored the need to establish interim transport terminals in a bid to
decongest roadways, promote road and commuter safety and reduce pollution in
EDSA.
According to the AO, the North Interim Transport
Terminal will be for provincial buses and Asian Utility Vehicles originating
from provinces north of Metro Manila, and entering via the North Luzon
Expressway, MacArthur Highway, Mindanao Avenue, Quirino Avenue, and/or
Commonwealth Avenue.
The South Interim Transport Terminal is for
provincial buses and AUVs originating from provinces south of Metro Manila and
entering via the South Luzon Expressway. The Southwest Interim Transport
Terminal is for provincial buses and AUVS originating from provinces south of
Metro Manila, entering via the Coastal Road and/or the Manila Cavite
Expressway.
"The interim transport terminals shall
cease to operate within sixty (60) days from the date that the Department of
Transportation and Communication (DOTC) has determined that the permanent
Integrated Transport System terminals are fully operational," the
President said.
The interim transport terminals are part of the
government’s preparation for the full implementation of the Integrated
Transport System Project under Executive Order 67 by Year 2016.
The President designated the DOTC as the
coordinating and lead agency in the implementation of the Administrative Order.
President Aquino directed the Land
Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to amend the routes and
areas of operation of affected provincial buses and AUVs so that their routes
would end at the interim transport terminals.
He, likewise, ordered the LTFRB to adjust the
routes and areas of operation of city buses, AUVs and jitneys in Metro Manila
to enable them to bring and pick-up passengers and goods to and from the
interim transport terminals.
The President created the Inter-agency Committee
created under Section 6 of EO 67 (s. 2012) with the task of assisting the DOTC
in the implementation of the said interim transport terminals.
The AO provides that the DOTC will be
responsible for the development of the North Interim Transport Terminal while
the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), in coordination with the
DOTC, will be responsible for the development of the South Interim Transport
Terminal.
The Metorpolitan Manila Development Authority,
in coordination with the DOTC, willl be responsible for the development of the
Southwest Interim Transport Terminal.
The interim transport terminals shall be
maintained in accordance with the standards prescribed in Memorandum Circular
No. 13-2008 issued by the LTFRB. Such maintenance will include, among others,
providing sanitation, security, repair and other administrative services.
"The DOTC, with the assistance of the MMDA,
shall maintain the ITTs, without prejudice to such other arrangements that can
be made with the affected bus and AUV operators or owners," he said.
The DOTC, the MMDA, the bus operators/owners, or
a designated private entity, may collect appropriate fees for the maintenance
of the interim transport terminals subject to the provisions of applicable
laws, rules and regulations, the President noted.
The funds required for the implementation of
this Order shall be sourced from funds appropriated for the Integrated
Transport System Project, as well as from funds identified by the Department of
Budget and Management (DBM), subject to existing government accounting and
auditing laws, rules and procedures.
The AO shall take effect immediately upon
publication in a newspaper of general circulation. PND (js)
