By Argyll Geducos
President Duterte has ordered the distribution of all government lands as he belittled the promise of the New People's Army (NPA) to the people to give them lands, saying he is already implementing land reform during his term.
Duterte stated in his speech during the distribution of certificates of land ownership award to beneficiaries in Maguindanao Monday evening.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte hands over a Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to one of the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries of Maguindanao at the Buluan Municipal Gymnasium on February 11, 2019. Assisting the President is Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones. (JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Hindi na natin kailangan ang NPA. What for? Yung kampanya nilang ibigay ang lupa sa tao, kaya ko yan. Ginagawa ko na nga, eh (We do not need the NPA. What for? Their campaign to give the land to the people, I can do that. I am already doing that),” he said.
“Dito pabilisan ko pa, lahat ng lupa ng gobyerno pamigay ko na 'yan (I can even do it faster, I will give all government lands now),” he added.
“For me, it is a matter of honor. Pag nagbitaw ako ng salita, yun na 'yon (When I say something, it will happen),” he continued.
The President then reiterated his promise to give government lands to the people, ordering Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones to expedite the process and distribute all pieces of land to the people within his term.
“Sabi ko nga kay Secretary Castriciones ibigay mo na 'yan lahat sa panahon ko. Lahat ng lupa ng gobyreno. Wala namang nakikialam diyan. Pati bukid ibigay mo para mataniman (I told Secretary Castriciones to distribute all within my term, including the government lands and farm lands so they can plant on them. No one is meddling anyway),” he said.
Duterte then advised land reform beneficiaries to take care of and cultivate the land given to them because the food products that will be coming from those lands can be exported.
“It is better to cultivate the land now so future generations can just continue the enterprise,” he continued.