Duterte to lead distribution of land certificates in General Santos

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to lead the distribution of land ownership certificates in General Santos City on Thursday as part of his administration's efforts to address insurgency and promote countryside development.

The implementation of Executive Order No. 75, which directed agencies to identify government-owned lands that can be distributed to agrarian reform beneficiaries, was one of the topics tackled during the Cabinet meeting on Monday.

During the meeting, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones tackled the implementing rules and regulations of the order, which the president last February 15. 

"On June 13, the president and the DAR secretary will head to General Santos to distribute certificates of land ownership award that collectively cover 24,000 hectares of privately acquired lands to 13,000 agrarian reform beneficiaries," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement. 

In the order, Duterte noted that the 1987 Constitution declared it a policy of the state to undertake the just distribution of all agricultural lands subject to priorities and retention limits prescribed by Congress.

He also cited the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, which states that government-owned lands devoted to or suitable for agriculture are covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and are to be planned and programmed for acquisition and distribution by DAR.

Duterte previously said armed conflict and rebellion would not end if the government fails to distribute land to the poor.

In a recent interview, the president reiterated his commitment to distribute government-owned land, saying it would make the communist rebels irrelevant. 

"The relevance of the NPA (New People's Army) is that they have been telling people that lands will be given to them free. Of course, this is the Philippines," Duterte said in an interview aired over Sonshine TV last Saturday. 

"To make them irrelevant on that issue, I acted quickly. I distributed something like 60,000 hectares. I ordered the government,DAR, Castriciones, to prioritize the lands owned by the government. Distribute all of them," he added.