Snail-paced land process dismaying

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo. (RTVM image)

Bureaucratic red tape and the slow process in agrarian reform, particularly the land conversion process, had so exasperated President Rodrigo Duterte during the Cabinet meeting late Wednesday that he had to pause and rest in a separate room, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“It was the discussion on the red tape and the problem posed by conversion on land distribution that so exasperated him. Mr. Duterte excused himself. He had to rest in a separate room,” Panelo said.

The Palace official said Mr. Duterte showed his strong feeling about pushing the land reform program, as the streamlining of the conversion process was first on the agenda.

Mr. Duterte, last month, threatened to fire Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) officials and personnel if they continue with the slow processing of land conversion papers.

It was the discussion on the red tape and the problem posed by conversion on land distribution that so exasperated him. Mr. Duterte excused himself, he had to rest in a separate room

The President hinted that unscrupulous DAR personnel deliberately delay the processing of papers for certain considerations.

Duterte earlier had expressed frustration on how it took some officials and personnel two years to resolve land conversion cases when it should only have taken a few months.

DUTERTE. “If it takes you two years to process a paper, a conversion there, you are up to corruption. I told them,” Duterte said in a speech during the annual assembly of the Provincial Union of Leaders Against Illegality in Lucena City on 23 January.

Panelo said an undersecretary talked about streamlining internal processes of all agencies involved in the conversion, including the imposition of definite timelines for its processing such as the provision of government permits.

“Well you know, the problem, the President was so frustrated, he spent I think half an hour saying he was so frustrated about the requirements,” Panelo said.

“Remember, he was dismayed that two years had passed under his administration and land distribution had not moved,” he said.

The President was disappointed by the numerous requirements, including those from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the local governments which slow down land conversion cases.

“So, they are trying to streamline that. There were suggestions on speeding up the pending cases. The President said there are so many crooks, and if one party does not have money or bribe, the case doesn’t move. So, he’s looking into that,” Panelo said.

At the same Cabinet meeting, Mr. Duterte indicated a plan to certify as urgent a bill that will reform the country’s pension system for the military and other uniformed personnel as the national government yearly relies on appropriations for the regular payments to retired servicemen, Malacañang bared on Thursday.

Panelo said the matter was brought up – and consequently agreed on by the Chief Executive.

“Discussed was the Military and Uniformed Personnel Pension Reform bill proposed by the Department of National Defense (DND) which the President said he will certify as an urgent piece of legislation,” Panelo said.