Agrarian reform beneficiaries need not pay estate taxes if the farmers wish to transfer their farmlands to their heirs.

Speaking at the new Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program of the Presidential Communication Office, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III said that under the Republic Act No. 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, not only ARB's loan, interests, and surcharges are condoned, but it also offers non-payment of estate taxes to farmers who wished to transfer their farmlands to their heirs.

"Ang isa pang malaking bagay diyan (RA 11953) ay nakasaad doon sa batas na kapag ikaw ay ang heir noong dati ng magsasaka, dati ng Agrarian Reform Beneficiary hindi ka na sisingilin ng estate tax. Ibig sabihin ay libreng lupa na ibibigay natin sa kanila," Estrella explained.

He added that the main objective of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act is to free the farmers from all the burden besetting them, "like the amortization fees they pay periodically."

Estrella said this would lead to the farmers' better output and productivity.

"Lalo na kung magbuklod-buklod sila at magkaisa-isa sila sa isang komunidad ay makaka-pagsaka sila using scientific and modern method of farming, hence greater production" Estrella farther explained.

Streamlining

Estrella added that farmers also need not go to Manila or to DAR's main office as he has just signed a Special Order creating the Condonation Quick Response Centers in all the provinces and in the DAR's Central Office coinciding the hiring and appointment of lawyers "to the level of Attorney IV to attend to the farmers needs."

"Ito'y inutos din ng ating Pangulo Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang sabi niya 'paspasan ninyo iyan at huwag na iyong maraming kung anu-ano pang hinihingi sa magsasaka'… Iyan and instructions ng ating mahal na Pangulo. At ganoon ginawa namin ini-streamline namin talaga ang proseso," Estrella said.

The DAR Chief also revealed that around 600,000 farmers across the country will benefit from the "Condonation Law", and he hoped that this year alone, they could accommodate 200,000 of them.