DAR Chief convenes PARC ExCom, requests funds for FYs 2024 and 2025 programs, activities and projects

QUEZON CITY – Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado M. Estrella III has convened the 151st Meeting of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council Executive Committee (PARC ExCom), to discuss the financial requirement of the agrarian reform program for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2024 and 2025, among others.

Secretary Estrella said that the funds being requested are for implementing the programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) under the government’s agrarian reform program.

The requested fund, with a total amount of P19 billion, will be used for the payment of landowners’ compensation (LOC), construction of bridges under the Pang-Agraryong Tulay para sa Bagong Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka (PBBM), farm-to-market roads (FMRs), farm machineries and equipment (FMEs), and educational scholarships for the children of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).

The funding source is the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF). The ARF was created in 1987 pursuant to Section 2 of Proclamation 131 dated 22 July 1987 to cover the cost of implementing the agrarian reform, including the acquisition and distribution of agricultural lands and provision of support services.

The PARC is the highest policy-making body for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) while the PARC ExCom is its executive arm. As the DAR chief and as PARC ExCom Chairperson, Secretary Estrella is tasked to convene meetings to discuss the pressing issues and concerns on agrarian reform and announce the directives of the President.

The 151st PARC ExCom meeting was held on May 08, 2024, at the DAR Central Office in Diliman, Quezon City.