President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday certified as urgent a bill seeking a 10-year extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) to 2018.

The CARL, or Republic Act (RA) 6657 which took effect in 1988, expires next year.

Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman announced the President’s decision during the celebration of the 19^th anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) at Malacaņang’s Rizal Hall this morning.

Pangandaman said the 10-year extension would allow the government to fully cover the remaining two million hectares still to be placed under the CARP that will benefit an additional two million farmers.

Seven million hectares have already been placed under CARP since 1988, benefiting about four million farmers.

Thus far, the CARP support services have created 500,000 jobs in infrastructure, Pangandaman said.

CARP envisions "to make the countryside economically viable for the Filipino family by building opportunities toward lasting peace and sustainable rural development."

The President has time and again said that land ownership can end poverty in developing countries like the Philippines.

In today’s celebration of CARP’s 19^th anniversary, the President handed out awards to outstanding stakeholders who have contributed to the successful implementation of the CARP.

Leading the awardees was Nelson Taladhay Sr. of Masiag Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat.

The other awardees were KENKRAM Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat as the Progressive ARB Organization;

KENKRAM Mapantig ARC of Isulan as the Outstanding Agrarian Reform Community; and the Del Carmen Irrigators’ Association of President Roxas, Cotabato as the Outstanding CARP Irrigators Association.

Just to set the record straight, the President has indeed asked for the courtesy resignations of top officials of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), including government financial institutions (GFIs).
  
However, any news purporting to expand the coverage of the order to include members of the Cabinet is totally inaccurate.

No such order (asking the resignation of Cabinet members) was made. The President was very specific. She was just referring to GOCCs and GFIs.

Malacaņang branded today as "totally inaccurate" a published report that two members of the Cabinet are on their way out in an impending revamp of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s official family.

"Just to set the record straight, the President has indeed asked for the courtesy resignations of top officials of the government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), including government financial institutions (GFIs)," Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye said in a statement today.

"However, any news purporting to expand the coverage of the order to include members of the Cabinet is totally inaccurate," he said.

Bunye said the President had made no order to members of her official family to submit their courtesy resignations. "The President was very specific. She was just referring to the GOCCs and GFIs," he added.

The Malacanang official asserted that he should know. "Secretary (Peter) Favila and I were both present when (the President) gave the instructions to Secretary (Gary) Teves last Saturday" for top officials of GOCCs and GFIs to submit their courtesy resignations.

Just yesterday, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita dismissed speculations that the poor showing of Team Unity candidates in the May 14 election was the reason behind the forthcoming revamp of top leaders of GOCCs and GFIs.

The President had asked for the courtesy resignations of GOCC and GFI top officials so she would have a free hand in choosing their replacements whom she believes would infuse new impetus, direction and greater efficiency in the operations of the government corporate agencies.