Press Release
June 2, 2009

Zubiri abstains on the vote for CARP extension

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, an agriculturist from the University of the Philippines - Los Banos (UP-LB) on Tuesday claimed that the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) program as it stands "cannot fully address the problems of our landless farmers, as well as agrarian reform beneficiaries."

Zubiri added that the approved law "still lacks a number of reform measures that will boost the country's agricultural productivity."

The Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also clarified that his family does not own large tracts of land as indicated in some news reports after the Senate voted to approve the law extending CARP.

The Majority Leader said "all the lands owned by his family have been under the CARP since 1988" when they decided to voluntarily gave it up for their farm workers and landless neighbors.

"We do not own large tracts of land. Just to correct the impression that we have large stock of land for the information of our media friends and the public: all our lands have been distributed under CARP since 1988 when our family voluntarily gave up our lands for distribution to give our farm workers and landless neighbors from three surrounding barangays," he said.

He said a study conducted by a group of journalism students from the University of the Philippines last year could attest to his statement.

He said the study showed that even the records of the Bureau of Land in Bukidnon were checked and inspected and later led to the findings that "our family collectively owns less than 20 hectares of land."

The senator appealed to media to correct the impression that up to this date the Zubiri family in Bukidnon have large landholdings.

"Please make the necessary correction as initial statements may misinform the public," he appealed.

"However, our family is leasing land from CARP beneficiaries which is not a violation of CARP law."

He explained that he abstained from voting "to avoid being misconstrued that I am trying to seek benefits from the CARP Law."

Zubiri also feels "the program is flawed because it does not put priority on support services for agrarian reform beneficiaries."

The senator said "the focus seems to be more on land acquisition rather than support services, as well as priority payment to lands already acquired by the CARP program."

He cited several thousand landowners that owned 10 hectares to hundreds of hectares of land that have not yet been compensated by the government's CARP program.

"The new law should prioritize the payment to these landowners as they sacrificed their bread and butter, as well as their lives to these areas. Social justice and just compensation should be for both farmer beneficiaries and landowners whose lands have been confiscated," he said.

"In order for this program to work all sectors must help each other including the Church who should voluntarily give up their landholdings as a sign of support to the landless farmers struggle to own land. In Bukidnon alone there are over 2000 hectares of agricultural land owned by the Church and leased to multi-national companies," Zubiri said.

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