Washington Sycip asks for assurance CARP won’t be extended

MANILA, Philippines – Leading Filipino-Chinese Businessman Washington Sycip asked for an assurance from the President’s economic managers not to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

During the open forum of the Economic Manager’s Meeting on Monday, September 17, Sycip added that he had no confidence in the country’s legislative system but had more confidence on technocrats such as the economic managers to see the wisdom in the non-extension of the CARP.

The CARP programmed was launched in 1988 and was supposed to run for 20 years but it has been extended several times. The program, which is now envisioned to be completed by 2014, aims to redistribute land to Filipino farmers to allow them to own their own land instead of working for another land owner.

“I have more confidence in technocrats than those in the legislative. Can I have an assurance that the technocrats will not extend the CARP?” Sycip asked.

“It is in the legislative process that forces technocrats to implement rules and regulations that are stupid,” he added.

The promise of 2014

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the CARP, as a program, will continue, particularly on the distribution of land to identified beneficiaries until 2014.

Abad echoed the President’s stand that only the distribution of land will continue only until June 2014. This was the result of the President’s agreement with farmers groups.

The Budget Secretary said completing CARP is important. He said if the country’s land problems remain unresolved, it is likely that the Philippines will continue to experience social conflicts.

“Social conflicts (are) traced to land. If we don’t deal with that problem I don’t think we can have peace,” Abad said. –CAI U. ORDINARIO,Rappler.com