The Diocese of San Carlos issued a statement yesterday saying that it supports the call of farmers for an extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program for at least two years to enable the issuance of notices of coverage for about 78,303 hectares – part of the still undistributed 771,303 hectares.

This includes a big undistributed area in the northern part of Negros, the statement signed by San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, said.

“We strongly support the proposals of our farmers who came from the different areas of Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and marched to Malacañang calling the president to bring new life to CARP,” the statement added.

The Diocese also supports the call for the creation by law of an independent commission to monitor with powers to subpoena and investigate circumventions of CARP.

It also stressed the need for massive funding for capacity building and support services, and a re-orientation of all law enforcement agencies to protect lives, rights and properties of agrarian reform beneficiaries.

An investigation and revamp of the DAR leadership and personnel who are underperforming and or conniving with big landlords is also being sought by the Diocese.

“We recognize that one of the many causes, if not the main cause of dehumanizing poverty, is the problem on land distribution,” the statement said, noting that CARP ended on June 30.

This means that only those lands served with Notices of Coverage will be included in the distribution until 2016, the statement said.

“We are aware that the northern part of our diocese, from the town of Manapla down to the city of San Carlos, hold the largest part of undistributed land in the island of Negros,” it added.

“We believe that CARP(eR) is flawed but not a failure,” it also said. *CPG

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