Agriculture.ph Blog

Brunei, RP to reinforce agricultural cooperation

PHILRICE, Nueva Ecija—A bilateral agreement between the Philippines and Brunei under the Brunei Darussalam-Philippines Agricultural Cooperation Project (Brunei-RP ACP) is expected to increase the exchange of technological expertise and trade of agricultural products between the two countries, among other mutual benefits.

At a recent bilateral meeting, the status of a rice planting project in Wasan was assessed, possible agribusiness ventures in Mindanao assessed, and the possibility of using Brunei’s halal brand on Philippine products explored.

The Brunei-RP ACP is an initiative between Brunei’s Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) and its Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Philippines’ own DA through the DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

It aims to increase Brunei’s 3.15 percent rice self-sufficiency level to 20 percent by 2010.

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei inaugurated the first harvest of Brunei’s “Laila padi” at Wasan on August 3.

“We have seen a 2-percent- to 3-percent increase in productivity and we’re planning to push more production,” MIPR Secretary Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Hamid Hj Mohd Jaafar said.

Brunei’s agriculture acting director Hjh Normah Suria Hayati PJDSM DSU (Dr.) Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri said harvesting “Laila” shows that the variety can be planted in Brunei, and noted   it may be the key to Brunei’s quest for increased production.

Hilario de la Cruz, team leader of the BD-RP rice technical cooperation project, said, “Brunei rice-farm soils are mostly acid sulfate, which causes yellowing of leaves, stunted growth and lower photosynthetic activity.”  He added that the Laila variety survived despite Brunei’s poor soil type.  Because of this, the rice self-sufficiency efforts will now be brought to the district level, he said.

Hanah Hazel Mavi Biag, science research specialist 1 of PhilRice, said a four-pronged two-year capacity-building program on rice production was likewise proposed for Brunei’s extension workers (EWs) and farmers.

Brunei EWs will be sent to the Philippines for a four-month capacity-enhancement training course and will be tasked to facilitate conduct of farmers’ field schools (FFS) upon their return to Brunei, Biag added.

Biag explained the DA-PhilRice experts will assist trained EWs in establishing FFS, where potential participants will be graduates from Wasan Vocational School. She added that trainings would include actual field demonstrations, focused group discussions and lectures.

Likewise, Filipino rice technical experts will be dispatched to Brunei on technology promotion, varietal development, nutrient management, farm machinery and seed production, among others. Biag noted that the two countries will enter into a standard material-transfer agreement for the exchange of seeds and other rice genetic materials for breeding, varietal testing, adaptation trials and commercial release in Brunei.

Brunei-Philippines agricultural cooperation covers the proposal for investments in agribusiness estates in Mindanao and will explore producing commercial rice and high-value crops in the region.

Brunei’s halal brand was proposed to be used on Philippine products that guarantee products meet quality, safety and sustainability standards for Muslim consumers.

Ghanim International Food Corp., a company run by Ireland-based Kerry group, and the Brunei government will market Brunei halal-branded products, Biag said.

Written by Ramon Efren R. Lazaro

Source: Business Mirror

COA uncovers new fertilizer scam

Another fertilizer distribution irregularity has been unearthed by the Commission on Audit (COA) in the wake of continued public condemnation drawn by the P728 million fertilizer scam, which implicated former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante and other Department of Agriculture (DA) personnel.

Although the amount involved in the recently discovered irregularity pales in comparison with that in the 2003 scam allegedly masterminded by Bolante, COA auditors lamented that farmers were denied benefits from the program that involved the distribution of organic fertilizers.

State auditors led by Elnora Sta. Maria also pointed out that the latest irregularity dampened the efforts of the government to promote the use of organic fertilizers.

In its 2008 audit report on the financial condition of the National Agricultural and Fishery Council (NAFC), the COA noted that the P10-million it distributed to 10 organic fertilizer manufacturers under the Organikong Abono –Tulong sa Magsasakang Pilipino Project has not been repaid to the NAFC.

“Out of the 10 proponents, three did not submit accomplishment reports while five were found not to have distributed the required 5,00 bags of organic fertilizers, thus, not fully achieving the objective to promote organic usage,” the COA report said.

Not one has returned the start-up funds, government auditors added.

Growth Philippines, one of the recipients of the P1-million assistance, ceased to exist one year after it received the money in 2005.

Other recipients of the financial assistance were the Manila Fertilizer, Sanders Organic Fertilizer, Sagana 100 Philippines, Romarc Enterprises, Galactic Resources Development Corp. Fabcom Philippines, Novatech Agri-Food Industry, Sea Crop Feeds and Fertilizers Technology Center, and Extreme 3000 Enterprises.

Sta. Maria asked NAFC Executive Director Ed Fondevilla to send demand letters to remind producers of their overdue obligations and exert efforts in locating and going after officials of Nutrigrowth to recover government funds released to them.

In the same COA report, state auditors advised NAFC to pursue legal steps to recover from the Quedan and Rural Guarantee Corporation the P12.54-million the government firm failed to spend in putting up corn feedstock service centers in several corn-producing provinces in the country.

The amount is part of the P46.64-million released to Quedancor and other government agencies to finance fishery and agriculture projects but remained unused.

“The remaining unused fund of P12.5 million was not returned to NAFC. Instead it was placed in an investment per letter of the officer-in-charge (of Quedancor) dated November 27, 2007. However, verification of the short term investment account of Quedancor disclosed that no investment was placed under the NAFC account,” COA revealed.

Written by Ben R. Rosario

Source: Manila Bulletin

CBCP opposes biodiesel project in northern Luzon

THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has appealed to the government to stop the biodiesel project of a Japanese firm involving vast hectares of land in northern Luzon.

CBCP president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said that if the project pushes through, it will have a negative effect on landless farmers and fisher folks.

“We urged the government to counter the secession of 600,000 hectares of public lands in northern Luzon to Pacific Bio-Fields Holdings Inc. for bio-fuel to be exported to Japan,” he said.

The prelate also noted that the size of land to be used in biodiesel production is more than one half of the entire land reform target of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp).

The appeal was crafted during the two-day plenary assembly at the Pope Pius XII Catholic Center in Paco, Manila over the weekend.

The biodiesel project is contained in a formal agreement between the Philippine government and the United Kingdom-based Japanese firm.

The firm is looking to put up coconut plantations in the country for the production of biodiesel.

At the same time, the CBCP also called on the government to formulate an effective implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for Carp.

The Senate and the House of Representatives passed their respective versions of Carp with extension and reform.

On June 9, the bicameral committee then finally passed a consolidated version. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will sign the bill into law on August 8.

“Legislation cannot bring about tangible and lasting benefits to the small farmers without an effective IRR with specific targets, demonstrating the government’s clear political will to see the law brought to fruition,” Lagdameo said.

He also appealed for the implementation of land acquisition and distribution (LAD) over agricultural estates immediately after Carper is signed into law.

“Favor the serious implementation of LAD over large and contentious agricultural estates immediately after Carper is signed into law (with retrospective enforcement from July 1),” he added in a statement. (FP/Sunnex)

Source: Sun Star

US sugar producers say no need for more imports

SUGAR producers belonging to the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) insisted that additional imports of raw sugar is unwarranted due to the jump of 120shipments from Mexico.

ASA wrote to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and pointed out that there is more than enough supply of various sugar products in the American market.

“US cane refiners continue to have more than adequate supplies of raw sugar. Most are operating at less than full capacity because the demand for refined sugar is not great. Beet processors still have refined  sugar to sell. No food manufacturers are having any trouble locating refined sugar supplies,” the sugar producers wrote.

ASA also noted that early beet harvesting will begin in just two months and as the harvest gets under way throughout beet and cane areas, the market will move into its heaviest oversupply period.

Sugar stocks will build through the spring due to inflows of sugar committed by the US under the World Trade Organization and the Central America Free Trade Agreement.

“Most important, the market is open to unlimited supplies from Mexico,” said ASA.

Mexico is one of the partners of the US under the North American Free Trade Agreement.

ASA cited figures released by the USDA showing that total expected Mexican shipments would reach 1.3 million tons. This figure, the group said, is more than 10 percent of the US market and far greater than the 165,000 tons the USDA is predicting next year.

The group noted that any tightness in 2010 would not emerge until summer or starting July. “[The] USDA would have adequate time to prevent any possible tightness through an import-quota increase, if necessary, on or after April 1,” the group wrote.

As per the Farm Bill, Washington could decide on increasing sugar imports by April 1.

The USDA has not issued a decision on whether it will increase sugar imports under the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) scheme. The Philippines exports sugar under the TRQ.

Sugar Regulatory Administration head Rafael Coscolluela earlier said the prospects of exporting additional sugar to the US is already dim due to the influx of Mexican sugar, as well as the increase in sugar surplus in the American market.

Local sugar producers have been hoping to ship out an additional 65,000 metric tons (MT) if the USDA would allow the increase in TRQ for fiscal year 2009.

Under the TRQ scheme, the Philippines is allocated around 137,000 MT of “A” sugar. Manila accounts for 13 percent of the total volume allocated by the US for raw sugar imports for fiscal year 2009.

Written by Jennifer A. Ng

Source: Business Mirror

Vegetable congress wants definite government position on aggie-products trade

DAVAO CITY—The national vegetable congress this week in General Santos City wants a definite government position on the fate of the industry in relation to the Philippines’ continuing trade negotiation in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Jovic Santos, president of the Central Mindanao Vegetable Industry Development Council, said vegetable growers nationwide should be briefed on the government position in the WTO regarding the trading of agricultural products.

Santos spoke about the industry demand for subsidy, mainly on farm inputs and better seed varieties of vegetables. The WTO prefers an open market with fewer tariff barriers, if at all.

“We would like to know how these subsidies could reach us,” he told a local business forum here.

Scheduled to present the government position during the July 14 to 16 congress in General Santos City is Maribel Marges, a government WTO expert on policy, planning, research and development of the Department of Agriculture (DA) during her speech on “Prospects for Philippine Vegetable Industry Under WTO Regime.”

Marges said vegetable growers and other industry participants “would like to know the measures under the WTO and how we can be helped.”

Marges would be joined by other senior agriculture officials, including Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, the keynote speaker; Dr. Rene Rafael Espino, program coordinator of the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani High Value Commercial Crops; and Dr. Joel Rudinas, director of the Bureau of Plant Industry.

Espino’s speech on the National Road Map, a Philippine vegetable-industry situationer, will be another key feature of the congress, Santos said, to allow industry producers, traders and consumers a better picture of where the vegetable clusters were and how vegetables are being clustered.

“In Mindanao, for example, we know where vegetables for certain recipes are found,” he said.

For example, the main ingredients of the pakbet group—a salted shrimp-based vegetable recipe—like ampalaya and eggplants are in South Cotabato.

High-temperate vegetables like broccoli and asparagus, used mainly for high-end menus, are found in Lake Sebu.

“The road map would show us the things that the government has put in place,” he said.

The private-sector side, he said, which includes the growers and producers, has already established regional councils with working board members.

He said the congress will also try to update the industry database.

Written by Manuel T. Cayon

Source: Business Mirror

CARP costly and passé, says former DA official

A FORMER official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) believes the country’s Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) is very costly and the government can resort to alternative means to reduce poverty without resorting to land reform.

In a lecture at the University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE), titled “Pathways Out of Rural Poverty: Is Agrarian Reform Passé?” agriculture expert Dr. Arsenion Balisacan discussed the opportunities and pitfalls provided by Carp.

He said the government must concentrate on providing infrastructure support in the rural areas to enable the rural poor to move out of poverty.  The government also needs to increase investments in health and education and create market-friendly institutions that will enforce property rights and safeguard land tenure.

“Carp has been a mute—and very costly—instrument for rural poverty reduction,” Balisacan said during the sixth Ayala Corp.-UPSE forum on Friday. “Agrarian land reform should not continue being regarded as a panacea for rural development.”

Balisacan said compared with the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer program, the government seems to have spent twice as much for the Carp based on 2007 prices.

The former DA official said the government spent P235.74 billion for 2.259 million beneficiaries since the CARP started in 1988. This translated to a cost of P144,377 per beneficiary.

In terms of the CCT, the government spent P20.025 billion for 321,000 beneficiaries since 2008, which amounted to P63,382 per beneficiary.

Balisacan added that based on his independent assessment of the benefits of Carp, the increase in the average capita consumption in agrarian-reform communities due to the CARP is only 1.1 percent.

This is infinitely lower compared with the survey of the Institute of Agrarian Rurban Studies (IARDS) which showed that the average capita consumption increase was 42 percent. Balisacan noted that the data used by the IARDS may not be comparable, that is why they arrived at a 42-percent increase.

“This is very disappointing and not encouraging. This means the Carp is costing us P1.1 to transfer (a) P1 [benefit] to agrarian-reform beneficiaries,” he said.

Balisacan also said there are inherent problems with the Carp. He said the government, under the Carp, has distributed only collective certificate of land ownership award which cannot be used as collateral to access credit facilities.

He explained that apart from that, being a recipient of the Carp, even acts as a disadvantage for farmers looking to tap credit facilities, since banks immediately consider them “risky” borrowers simply because they are poor and may not have enough means to repay loans.

The Carp was one of the legacies of the Aquino administration. Lawmakers have yet to formally extend the Carp, but sources said the extension may be announced when Congress opens for the Sona.

Written by Cai U. Ordinario

Source: Business Mirror

Aurora farmers urge distribution of military land

FARMERS in Dingalan, Aurora, on Wednesday asked the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to distribute immediately more than 4,000 hectares of land within the Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation (FMMR) to boost the government’s effort to fight hunger and poverty in the country.

The farmers from the four barangays of Matawe, Ibona, Cargsacan and Butas na Bato expressed fear that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will eventually kick them out of the military reservation.

The farmers have been cultivating land inside the military reservation for more than four decades.  They won a battle for the right to cultivate after 4,752 hectares of land were awarded to 805 farmer-beneficiaries in 1993.

The farmers are members of the Task Force Military Reservation, an alliance of six farmers’ organizations, namely, Agusis Upland Farmers’ Association, Matawe Upland Farmers’ Association, Small Coconut Farmers’ Association, Sitio Tapao Upland Farmers’ Association, Abongan, Camiling, Cailugan Ibona Upland Farmers’ Association, and Lingap Bundok sa Barangay Caragsacan.

“We are concerned that the AFP will drive us out of the military reservation soon,” Ruding Ruiz, TFMR chair, said.

The TFMR expressed surprise that the AFP real-estate division suddenly became interested in the land the farmers are occupying.

Representatives of the AFP division held a series of meetings from December 2007 to May 2008 with DAR, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the farmers, purportedly to set the boundaries of the military reservation.

The FMMR was given to the Philippine Army through Presidential Proclamation 237 signed by President Ramon Magsaysay on December 18, 1955. It is the current headquarters of the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army. The military reservation spans the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora.

In 1984 the commander of the 7th Infantry Division allowed 511 farmers to till and develop a portion of the land located at barangays Ibona and Matawe.

In 2001 the DENR declared as “alienable and disposable” some 1,680 hectares at barangay Matawe, making that portion of the military reservation ready for distribution.

“We hope that the government will uphold the principle of social justice and immediately distribute the disputed land in favor of us poor farmers,” said Ruiz.

Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga

Source: Business Mirror

Congress probe on Vietnam rice import urged

THE Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Tuesday urged lawmakers to investigate the alleged overpricing of imported rice from Vietnam despite denials made by top agriculture officials.

Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap said lawmakers should get into the bottom of the issue in the name of national interest and for the sake of the taxpaying public.

“Facts and figures cannot be denied by statements of outright denials. We strongly appeal to members of both chambers of Congress to get at the bottom of the issue,” Hicap said.

The imported rice acquired from Vietnam last December at an average of $456 to $459 at that time only costs $380 today, he said.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla said based on December rates, the Philippine government obtained a good deal at the time because the actual import price agreed upon by Manila and Hanoi was $549.50 per ton.  The price included add-on costs like freight, bid and performance bonds, surveyor’s fees and the cost of money arising from the Philippine government’s paying of imports not in cash but on a deferred credit basis for six months.

National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Jesus Navarro insisted that the transaction saved the Philippine government some $7.54 million based on the prevailing February prices of the grain as posted by the Board of Trade of Thailand.  He said the rice imported from Vietnam was acquired at an average of $549.50 per ton, while the February price of rice imports soared to $656.15 per ton.

“The NFA administrator is either bad in math or just playing fool here. The prevailing price of rice imports at the time the country acquired rice from Vietnam was pegged at $380 per ton and this was in December of 2008. The point of reference of Navarro was February when the average price of rice imports shot up to $656.15 per ton,” Hicap said.

The Pamalakaya leader accused the NFA administrator of engaging in all-out manipulation to justify “the possible acts of corruption performed by top government officials,” Hicap said.

Agriculture officials also said the rice-import transaction with Vietnam was approved by the Private Sector Procurement Transparency Group headed by lawyer Paterno Menzon representing the Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference.

“Facts and figures cannot be denied by statements of outright denials. We strongly appeal to members of both chambers of Congress to get at the bottom of the issue and let the truth come out in the name of national interest and for the sake of the taxpaying public,” Hicap said.

“These officials can lie to high heavens to protect the sinister agenda of the corrupt regime, but they cannot escape from the call of accountability. A full-blown inquiry is a must and we cannot afford to let this case of big-ticket corruption to go like an ordinary thing of the past,” Hicap added.

Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga

Source: Business Mirror

DA denies overpricing of rice, claims that country saved money

The Department of Agriculture (DA) claimed that the Philippine government saved around P370 million from the 1.5 million metric tons (MMT) of imported rice it contracted under a government- to-government deal with Vietnam.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap made this claim even as he denied reports that the rice bought by the Philippines from Vietnam was overpriced by 45 percent.

“That’s not true. I challenge them to show proof that the Philippine government bought overpriced rice,” said Yap in a telephone interview.

The DA chief pointed out that at the time the imported rice was contracted in December, the price was at an average of $549 per metric ton (MT). The imported rice from Vietnam’s Southern Food Corp. started arriving in the country in March.

“Other suppliers quoted $561 and $559 per MT at the time. If we had waited until February or March to contract our rice requirements, we could have paid more because prices already shot up,” said Yap.

He said that the terms were for 180 days and that the total cost of the deal was at $824.25 million.

The Philippines opted for government-to-government negotiations for its requirements as a way of preventing a repeat of what happened in 2008, when rice prices shot up by more than $1,000 per MT. The Philippines was singlehandedly responsible for moving the rice market last year.

Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla, meanwhile, explained that when the deal was finalized in December, the cost ranged from $456 to $459 per MT, freight on board.

“Based on the said December rates, the Philippine government obtained a good deal at that time because the actual import price agreed upon by Manila and Hanoi was $549.50, when you include the add-on costs like freight, bid and performance bonds, surveyor’s fees, and the cost of money arising from the Philippine government’s payment of the imports, not in cash, but on a deferred credit basis of six months,” said Fondevilla in a statement.

The transaction actually saved some P369 million ($7.54 million) for the government, based on the prevailing February 2009 prices of the grain, as posted by the Board of Trade of Thailand, which is the industry reference for the world market price, National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Jessup Navarro said. Under the agreement, Vietnam will start delivering the imports in February.

“There was no $380/MT rice in December last year,” said Fondevilla.

Fondevilla and Navarro backed the assertion of agriculture secretary Yap that the said government-to-government transaction was a “good deal” because it was approved by the Private Sector Procurement Transparency Group (PSPTG) headed by lawyer Paterno Menzon, representing the Bishops-Businessmen’s Conference (BBC).

The Philippine and Vietnamese governments agreed last December on the $549.50 price based on the following breakdown: $645.15 for 5 percent brokens, $595 for 15 percent brokens and $535 for 25 percent brokens.

Fondevilla explained that during the time that the transaction was finalized, the NFA had estimated the price per metric ton of rice in the world market at $555.80, which already comprised the freight on board projected price of $491.68 at 25 percent brokens; a quality premium fee of $5 per ton; cost of money at $23.70 (computed at 0.9 percent per annum); the projected 7 percent increase in world prices in the first semester of about $32, based on the price trend during the last five years; a $35 freight cost; and other expenses such as surveyors costs, bid and performance bonds and fumigation fees computed at $0.42.

“There are add-on costs to the actual purchase price to ensure that such a huge volume of rice is delivered from the source—which is, in this case, Vietnam—to the Philippines and in consideration of the deferred-payment arrangement,” he said.

Reacting to a news item questioning the said transaction, Fondevilla and Navarro said it was incorrect for this news report to compare rice spot prices, which are quoted in cash, with bulk purchases like the one made by the NFA, without considering the volume and terms of payment for the agency-purchased stocks.

Written by Jennifer A. Ng

Source: Business Mirror

Bacaoco: What now, CARP?

ON JUNE 30, the joint resolution extending the implementation of CARP expired.

The original law, the centerpiece of Cory Aquino’s administration, was passed in 1988 and was implemented for 10 years.  In 1998, another law was passed extending Carp implementation for another ten years.

As Carp was about to expire in June 30, 2008, a joint resolution was passed extending its implementation up to December 31, 2008.  Another resolution extended Carp from January 1 to June 30, 2009 but the coverage was limited only to voluntary offer to sell and voluntary land transfer.  No compulsory acquisition of private agricultural land was allowed.

Since this joint resolution expired last June 30, what is the status of Carp now?

It can be recalled that PGMA, giving in to the lobby of the CBCP and farmers groups, certified the CARPer bills as urgent. In an amazing display of legislative dispatch, both houses of Congress passed the bills extending and strengthening CARP. The Senate passed Senate Bill 2666 on June 1 while the House of Representatives passed House Bill 4077 on June 3.

Senators Migz Zubiri and Noynoy Aquino abstained from the voting. Those who voted for SB 2666 were Nene Pimentel, Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Gringo Honasan, Francis Pangilinan, Joker Arroyo, Pia Cayetano, Richard Gordon, Mar Roxas, Rodolfo Biazon and Manuel Lapid, Chiz Escudero.

The lower house voted overwhelmingly for CARPer at 211 in favor against 13 who are not in favor. Four Negrense solons – Thirdie Marañon (2nd District), Kako Lacson (3rd District), Jeffrey Ferrer (4th District) and Genaro Alvarez (6th District) – are among those who had the cojones to stand by their principles.

One week after both houses passed their respective versions of the CARPer, the bicameral committee met to reconcile and iron out the conflicting provisions in the two bills. The senate version was adopted as the working draft. The senate panel was composed of Honasan, Estrada, Pimentel, Biazon, Pia Cayetano and Pangilinan.

The lower house bicam representatives were Elias Bulut Jr. (Apayao), Salvador Escudero (Sorsogon), Edcel Lagman (Albay), Risa Hontiveros (Akbayan), Pablo Garcia (Cebu), Amado Bagatsing (Manila), Michael Duavit (Rizal), Pryde Henry Teves (Negros Oriental), Rodolfo Antonino (Nueva Ecija), and Amelita Villarosa (Occidental Mindoro).

It took the bicam committee twelve hours of marathon session to approve the final version on June 9. To date, no printed final bicam report has come out. Stakeholders are in the dark as to the final form of this CARPer animal.

Whatever this creature might look like is a concern best left for the future. The most important issue now is – what is the status of Carp?

The resolution extending Carp expired on June 30. Though both houses of congress passed their respective bills on CARPer, those bills do not have the effect of law. Though the bicameral committee has approved the final version of CARPer, the bicameral committee report by itself does not have the force of law.

The bicam report needs to be ratified by both houses of congress but both houses of congress will resume session on July 27 yet, when PGMA delivers her Sorry State of the Nation Address. In other words, the earliest that the bicam report can be ratified is on July 27 but mere ratification still does not make it into a law.

It has to be submitted for signature of the President. Granting that PGMA will immediately sign the CARPer, it still needs to be published in at least two newspapers of general circulation. CARPer will only take effect fifteen days after its publication.

If it is ratified on July 28, signed by the President before the end of the month and published on the first day of August, CARPer will presumably take effect on August 16. So what is the status of Carp in the interim that CARPer does not yet have the full effect of law?

If a landowner sells some of his CARPable land today, what will stop him from doing so? The law? What law? The old law has expired and the new law has yet to take effect!

What is there to violate in terms of the agrarian reform program when there is no law to speak of?

Ah! The days ahead will truly be very interesting times!

For reactions and suggestions, email bbacaoco@yahoo.com

Written by dr_tangarorang

Source: Sun Star