OFFICE OF AKBAYAN PARTY-LIST REP. TOM VILLARIN
S513 South Wing Building, Batasan Complex, Batasan Hills, Quezon City
Mr.
Speaker, I rise on a personal and collective privilege to tackle a
historical conflict rooted on social justice and human rights. Fighting
inequality is a core objective that our government must address if we
want to move on and achieve our desired goal of peace and sustainable
development. And to me, agrarian reform and other social justice issues
are the “bread and butter” of this hallowed institution.
President
Rodrigo Roa Duterte made an emphatic commitment to agrarian reform when
he nominated no less than a former esteemed member of the House and a
genuine peasant leader, Secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano. His
stewardship of the DAR will mean that finally, our farmers will have a
true champion leading real change in government. For that, our fervent
wishes for his success and may the struggle for genuine agrarian reform
be finally resolved under his watch.
This year marks the 29th
year after Congress passed an historic Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law
in 1988. The law is pursuant to a constitutional mandate, Article II
Section 21 of the 1987 Constitution --- “The State shall promote
comprehensive rural development and agrarian reform.”
