The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has simplified the guidelines on land acquisition and distribution (LAD).

DAR Secretary John Castriciones explained this was made possible by "lumping together activities into major steps, done simultaneously, or a combination of both," thus shortening the whole process to be undertaken by DAR and other CARP-implementing (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program) agencies from 291 days to 112 days.  

Under the new AO, the simplified LAD processes will be applicable to private agricultural lands which include landholdings with issued notice of coverage (NOC); landholdings with orders/decisions/resolutions denying petitions for coverage and petitions for exemption and exclusion, applications for conversion and conversion/exemption and exclusion orders under revocation which has become final and executory; and landholdings with pending case and/or proceeding involving the implementation of the provisions pursuant to Section 30 of the Republic Act 9700 or the CARP Extension with Reforms or CARPer.

Castriciones explained that the AO's operating procedures for all the LAD processes will be the standard for all landholdings regardless of area. 

"The concerned DAR field officers shall introduce appropriate strategies to continue the LAD process in accordance with the procedures and timelines prescribed under this AO," he said.

The DAR chief cited the simplified guideline is pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to complete the land distribution and acquisition of the remaining private agricultural lands covered by RA 6657, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, by June 30, 2022.

RA 6657 is an act instituting the CARP to allow landless farmers and farmworkers to receive the highest consideration to promote social justice and to move the nation toward sound rural development and industrialization, and the establishment of owner cultivatorship of economic-size farms as the basis of Philippine agriculture.