The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) recently issued rules and regulations on the retaking of unused government-owned lands (GOLs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for distribution to qualified beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
DAR-MAFAR Joint Administrative Order (AO) 07, Series of 2021 stipulates that all departments, bureaus, offices, and instrumentalities of the government in the BARMM shall identify their coverable GOLs, and submit a list to the DAR, indicating the location and area of the said lands, actual use, and legal basis of ownership.
AO 7 mandates that the DAR should provide central direction and coordination to the agrarian reform program to ensure the effective implementation of Executive Order 75, Series of 2019.
In coordination with the MAFAR, the DAR shall prepare the total inventory of the coverable GOLs, which includes the list of lands submitted by the concerned departments, agencies, instrumentalities, and those identified by the DAR.
The DAR, in coordination with MAFAR, will also undertake the validation of the lands listed in the inventory, taking into consideration their suitability for agricultural use, limitations on their use under existing laws and issuances, their respective metes and bounds, and other relevant criteria required.
Under the said AO, the identification, screening, selection, and installation of qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) will be based in accordance with Republic Act (RA) 6657, or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) and other related issuances of the DAR and the MAFAR.
In cases of disputes, claims, and controversies involving the coverability of GOLs, the DAR Secretary will have an exclusive jurisdiction to decide based on Section 50 of RA 6657, as amended.
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