Marcos calls on DAR to increase its scholarship grants in its 2022 budget

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Senator Imee Marcos urged the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to increase its funding for scholarship grants in its proposed budget for 2022, citing that at present it was less than one percent of the Php400 million allotted for a similar program for coconut farmers.

Marcos has called out DAR for approving only 33 scholarship grants for which thousands of children of land reform beneficiaries had applied.

“We’ve had the longest land reform program on earth! Besides awarding farmers the land they till, education for their children will give the goal of land reform a truly happy ending. More were disappointed than delighted, considering education is now more expensive due to the pandemic,” Marcos said Thursday which marked the 50th year since Presidential Decree 27 launched the country’s land reform program.

Marcos noted that only Php2.357 million was spent for scholarship grants, even as Php800 million in DAR funds remain parked in the now controversial PS-DBM (Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management), which government agencies have used to make unspent funds appear obligated and keep them from being returned to the national treasury.

“There’s a lack of vision and dedication here, when DAR scrimps on benefits for those they are supposed to serve while Commission on Audit (COA) flags the parking of Php800 million in unliquidated funds in PS-DBM,” Marcos said.

Marcos added that the DAR can improve its accomplishment record in distributing land to more farmers if areas “less problematic” than the Bicol, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas regions were given more attention. (Photos: DAR)