The completion of the implementing rules and regulations of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act was dubbed by President Marcos as his best birthday gift ever.
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, the IRR of the law was presented to the President by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
"At ako’y nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat, sa lahat ng kasama natin upang mabuo natin ang IRR ng New Emancipation Law (I am thankful to all of you, to all who were with us to complete the IRR of the New Emancipation Law)," Marcos said as he concluded his speech during the event held in Quezon City.
"At on a personal note, nagpapasalamat ako – ito na yata ang pinakamagandang birthday gift na natanggap ko sa buong buhay ko (And on a personal note, I am thankful—this must be best birthday gift I received in my whole life)," he said.
Republic Act No. 11953, which Marcos signed in July this year, condones all unpaid amortizations, including the principal debt, interests, and surcharges for more than 600,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) that have been awarded lands under various agrarian reform laws.
The IRR principally lays out the procedures for the conduct of relevant processes relating to condonation of amortizations and interests, and the termination of payment of unpaid balances of just compensation to landowners by ARBS.
It is intended to facilitate the swift implementation of the law starting with the landholdings that are covered by outright condonation procedures, and thereafter, the landholdings that are covered by procedures in the condonation of debts arising from landholdings covered by collective certificates of land ownership awards (CLOAS), among others.
The President also said that the law means a lot to him as it was the advocacy of his late father.
"Maybe people do not quite realize what it means to me, what it means to Secretary Conrado Estrella to continue the work ng kanyang lolo, ipagpatuloy ang trabaho ng kanyang lolo na kasama ang aking ama na sinimulan ang agrarian reform program dito sa Pilipinas (of his grandfather and my father who started the agrarian reform program of the Philippines)," he said.
"Kaya naman po noong ako’y nakaupo hindi ako nagdalawang-isip at sinabi ko, tinawag ko kaagad si Sec. Conrad at ika ko sa kanya, “marami pa tayong kailangang gawin. Maraming hindi natapos doon sa ating mga ninuno kaya’t kailangan tayo ang magtatapos dahil binigyan tayo ng pagkakataon (So when I assumed office, I did not hesitate and said, I immediately called Secretary Conrad and I told him: we still have a lot of work to do. We have to finish what our ancestors failed to finish)," he added.
Immediate execution of IRR
During his speech, Marcos enjoined the DAR to continue providing support services to all agrarian reform beneficiaries, such as the provision of extension services, credit, financing, and rural infrastructure.
"I call on everyone to support and take part in the implementation of this landmark legislation. The need for a whole-of-nation approach is vital to achieve its goals and secure food production in the future," he said.
He urged the DAR and other government agencies to strive for a smooth and immediate execution of the IRR so that beneficiaries may be freed from the burden of debts and reap the benefits from the lands that they tirelessly cultivate.
"Continue to facilitate the delivery of support services to all ARBs and make them your foremost priority in all our development efforts," he told them.
The Chief Executive also called upon the beneficiaries to utilize their lands not only to cater to their families, but also for the rest of the nation.
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