What I Have Learned From DAR
When I applied as an agrarian reform program technologist in the Department of Agrarian Reform Compostela Valley Province, I started to research its vision and mission as leading agency on Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, how did it start and all about the department. Because I believe that, during the deliberation the panels will ask me what I knew about the department, but it was just a presumption but at least I prepared.
A few months after the deliberation, the Human Resource Management Officer, Ma’am Brenda informed me that there would be an orientation for the selected applicants. I never expect that I was one of those lucky applicants who will be hired as an Land Tenure Improvement/Program Beneficiaries Development Documentor. During the orientation, PARPO Ed gave to us information about Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. CARPO Toto explained to us the process of how agricultural lands were been distributed to the potential beneficiaries. A lot of CARPER-LAD forms were introduced to us. CARPO Toto also introduced to us the Optool and reminded us to do the update always. CARPO Dods told us that Agrarian Reform does not only rely on land distribution, but also on the delivery of support services to the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries to boost their farm outputs and income. CARPO Rene imparted to us his knowledge on the delivery of Agrarian Justice. Honestly, I did not absorb some of what they orientated to us. However, I learned from the two days orientation that being an Agrarian Reform implementor is very interesting because they help the landless farmers to own directly the lands they till through the program and sustain them with the appropriate services to make their farm be productive.
After the orientation, we met different faces of Agrarian Reform Implementors in the office. They gave us a warm welcomed as if we were a new member of the family and I learned something from it that DAR-Comval is not just an office but also a home. Then, we were deployed to our respective DARMOs. In the DAR Municipal Office, I started to learn the process of land acquisition, documenting claim folders of different landholdings and I learned the three basic documents those are the OCT/TCT, Tax Declaration and the NOC. I also discovered that the department implements leasehold program to secure the tenure of farmers’ in landowners retained areas. I also learned that an agrarian reform beneficiary should only be awarded of not more than three hectares and he/she is not qualified ARB if he/she owns more than three hectares of agricultural lands in the entire country. I also learned that a land with above 18% slope and not productive could be deleted or could not be covered by CARP. I also heard complaints of the farmer beneficiaries about her/his neighbourhood farmer beneficiaries with different cases. I came to realize how it is difficult to mediate beneficiaries who are so determined not to give in even if their out of their reasons.
I also have on field experiences that taught me a lot about being an agrarian reform implementor. Going to field you must always prepare and ready. I learned that I should always bring water and slipper whenever I go for a field inspection. I realized how challenging is working on field specially walking around the land with ups and downs slope under the heat of the sun together with the farmers and co-implementers. Even it was tired I was really enjoyed the company of the farmers because while we were walking under the heat of the sun I was able to know about them by sharing their inspiring stories to us as a farmer. I also felt how thankful they are on the efforts we gave to them. I learned to be concerned to the beneficiaries. I pity them whenever the land they till were not able to pass in the valuation of the Landbank of the Philippines and as a result, the land will not be awarded to them. I also felt happy, whenever the land they till, passed the valuation of the LBP because another landless farmer will be a landowner. A dream of a landless farmer to own land was granted.
