DAR releases final list of beneficiaries for Luisita land distribution

By KIMBERLY JANE TAN, GMA News

Published February 27, 2013 10:49am

(Updated 1:04 p.m.) The Department of Agrarian Reform on Wednesday released the final list of Hacienda Luisita farmworker beneficiaries who will be awarded with parcels of land from the more than 4,000-hectare sugar plantation in Tarlac province. "DAR will post today the final list of qualified farmer beneficiaries of Hacienda Luisita. Secretary Gil de los Reyes will lead the posting in Barangay Mapalacsiao. A total of 6,212 qualified farmworkers made it to the final list," DAR said on its official Twitter account. Barangay Mapalacsiao is one of the barangays in Tarlac City.

In a separate statement, DAR said the names of the beneficiaries were listed on tarpaulins posted by its officials and employees led by Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de Los Reyes in 10 barangays in Hacienda Luisita before noon Wednesday.

At a press conference in Tarlac, De Los Reyes said the final list is based on the preliminary list posted by the department in October 2012.

Screening

DAR said the final list was drawn in accordance with the Supreme Court's directive that only farmworkers who were actually working in the hacienda under the Luisita Tarlac Development Corporation (TADECO) in 1989 can qualify as beneficiaries.

In a 14-0 vote in 2011, the Supreme Court had ordered the distribution of the lands to the farmer-beneficiaries of Hacienda Luisita. The high court also ordered Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) to pay 6,296 beneficiaries P1,330,511,500 for the following:

P500 million received by the HLI for the sale of 200 hectares out of the 500 hectares covered by an August 14, 1996 conversion order;
P750 million received by the HLI's subsidiary, Centenary Holdings, Inc. for the sale of the remaining 300 hectares from the 500-hectare land; and
P80,511,500 paid by the government for the sale of the 80.51-hectare lot used for the construction of the SCTEX road network.

But DAR said they still had to review the list of beneficiaries submitted by HLI to the SC; the list of farmworkers who participated in the 1989 stock distribution option proceedings; all documents submitted by the farmworkers directly to DAR; and and documents acquired by DAR from the Social Security System.

Out of the 8,641 farmworkers who were interviewed and screened, it said 5,365 were included in the preliminary list released last October.

On the other hand, 1,218 farmworkers were required to submit additional requirements to prove they were working in the Hacienda in 1989.

DAR then gave groups and individuals until Dec. 1 last year to submit the requirements and file either petitions for inclusion or exclusion.

The department said all 5,365 workers were included in the final list, along with 356 who petititioned for inclusion, and 857 who proved they were working in the Hacienda in 1989.

De Los Reyes said heirs of deceased beneficiaries shall be qualified to claim the land entitled to the farmworker.

Land distribution

DAR said the surveying firm it commissioned is expected to finish the first phase of its land survey in March.

The survey is expected to segregate the different types of areas within the Hacienda, such as concrete roads, irrigation canals, and agricultural lots.

After segregation, the Hacienda will be subdivided into 6,212 lots for the individual beneficiaries plus parcels of land which will hold common facilities like roads and irrigation canals.

DAR said its self-imposed deadline to complete the distribution of titles is in May or June 2013. It likewise said this will not be delayed even if HLI decides to contest the valuation of the land. — LBG/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: luisita, haciendaluisita, darcarp, landreform