Right of First Refusal Granted to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
- Government financial institutions and GOCCs are mandated to grant DAR the right of first refusal in the sale or disposition of lands suitable for agriculture owned by them.
- This means DAR has the priority to purchase these agricultural lands before they can be offered to any third party.
Legal Basis and Supporting Laws
- The program is grounded on provisions from Executive Order No. 229 (1987) and Republic Act No. 6657 (1988), which define the scope and coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
- CARP covers all agricultural lands, public or private, irrespective of tenurial arrangement or commodity produced.
- The Presidential Agrarian Reform Council is tasked with coordinating CARP implementation and policy formulation.
Reporting Requirements
- Heads of government financial institutions and GOCCs are required to report compliance with this order.
- They must submit an inventory of the lands covered by this Executive Order.
- Reports must be submitted to the Office of the President within 30 days from the effectivity date.
Effectivity and Enforcement
- The Executive Order took effect immediately upon issuance on June 9, 1989.
- The directive is binding and must be adhered to strictly by all concerned government entities.
Key Legal and Policy Objectives
- Facilitate the acquisition of agricultural lands by the Department of Agrarian Reform to further agrarian reform objectives.
- Ensure lands suitable for agriculture are prioritized for agrarian reform over other forms of disposition.
- Support government efforts in equitable land distribution and agricultural development.