Although the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program was not extended, the land distribution will continue, an official of the Department of Agrarian Reform in the province, said yesterday.

Lucrecia Taberna, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer for Southern Negros Occidental, said it is clear under Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reform law that what will end in June 30, this year is the budget for the acquisition of land, and not the program itself.

Taberna said land-holdings with notices of coverage earlier issued by DAR will still be covered by CARP. The projects under taken through CARPER like the support services for the agrarian reform beneficiaries will also continue, she said.

Taberna added that after Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, Negros Occidental, has one of the widest CARP coverages in the country, so the remaining lands that are yet to be distributed should be given to the agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Congress did not act on the bid to extend CARP that would have allowed the issuance of notices of coverage to be extended.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. said it is about time CARP is ended after 26 years, and government, should instead, concentrate on providing support services to existing agrarian reform beneficiaries to improve their lives. *APN

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