The President made the appointment on Oct. 28, Alvarez confirmed to The STAR yesterday. Al... ALVAREZ NAMED ADVISER ON LAND RE | Life Insurance
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The President made the appointment on Oct. 28, Alvarez confirmed to The STAR yesterday. Al... ALVAREZ NAMED ADVISER ON LAND RE

Alvarez, agrarian reform chief during the term of former President Corazon Aquino, was one of the principal authors of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL).

"I'm happy to serve in a program of government that is vital to the economy and social justice," Alvarez said. "I'm happy that the President has given her full trust and confidence in me, especially that of a post that is closest to my heart."

Alvarez said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita called him up last week informing him of the President's decision and sent his appointment papers shortly thereafter.

Alvarez's appointment came as tension remains high in Hacienda Luisita — owned by the family of former President Corazon Aquino — in Tarlac after Ricardo Ramos, a labor union leader who led striking workers in the sugar estate, was shot dead on Tuesday by still unknown assailants.

It also came as the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council, chaired by Mrs. Arroyo, has yet to come up with a final decision on the move last month of Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman to revoke the stock distribution option (SDO) because of alleged violations in the 1989 agreement between the owners of the 5,000-hectare land and the 5,000 farmers.

Alvarez refused to say whether his appointment had something to do with the troubles in Hacienda Luisita, but said he would contribute his best in resolving the matter.

He admitted the situation at Hacienda Luisita is delicate owing to the political and security situation prevailing in the sugar estate. He said he believes that the killing and the land reform issues would be resolved peacefully.

Alvarez said there are about four million hectares, mostly in sugar lands, that remain to be distributed to small farmers. He said the agrarian reform program is in line with Mrs. Arroyo's 10-point agenda, which includes having two million hectares of land for agribusiness.

Alvarez said he has long been an advocate of countryside development and crafted legislation and policies for small farmers and fisherfolk. He was responsible for imbedding the provision that all ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their cronies should be allotted for the Agrarian Reform Program.

A brief summary of his accomplishments provided by his staff said that Alvarez authored the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and co-author of the Cooperative Code, "vital instruments for countryside development.

"Cooperativism has caught fire after six years. There are now more than 65,000 cooperatives in the country that help improve the lives of families of farmers and fisherfolk in the countryside," the accomplishment report said.

• Authored the Expanded Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp. which opened credit facilities from P200 million to P20 billion to the countryside to finance post-harvest facilities, grain warehouses, dryer and silos, farm machineries and equipment. The Quedan has become a dynamic micro-finance conduit in the countryside.

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admin – Mon, 2005 – 10 – 31 12:01