CARP forges unity among local officials
BY GRACE M. QUIMPO

MAKATO, Aklan - "The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) knows no boundary."
Thus said Agrarian Reform Assistant Secretary Kashmir Leyretana as he lauded Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez, Re. Florencio Miraflores and Mayor Ramon Legaspi Jr. of Makato, Aklan for setting aside political differences and agreeing to work hand-in-hand to hasten rural development and ease poverty in the province.
Leyretana led the trio during the launching of the Makato Mauled Agrarian Reform Community (MMARC) into signing the pledge of commitment of support the transformation of the said ARC towards "a viable, vibrant and sustained area of development."
Leyratana stressed that unity is the key to economic stability. "We owe it to our people. Let's give it to them," he said.
He explained that the help from the national government, which is usually comes in the form of financial assistance, trickles down to a place where there is unity among local government officials.
Gov. Marquez said that it is the mission of the local government officials to work together to ease poverty in their locality.

He cited the province, whose development, he said, has been steadier through the years following the CARP implementation.
Marquez recalled the days before CARP when agriculture stagnated due to long years of neglect and the lack of basic rural infrastructure.
"CARP and its ARC concept has provided the impetus to spurring rural development," Makato Mayor Legaspi said.
Legaspi pointed out that Makato has received some P28 million in financial aid for various rural infrastructure projects like farm-t-market roads, among others, since 1995 when Barangay Agbalogo , one of 18 barangays in his town, became an ARC, then expanded to cover seven more barangays in 2001 and lately the whole community,
Miraflores, a key supporter of CARP in the House of Representatives, said he has seen how CARP works, adding that he appreciates what it has done to Aklan, which became a Kalahi Agrarian Reform Zone in 2002 when he was governor of the province.

He vowed to continue supporting the program and even pledge 10 percent counterpart equity for every foreign-assisted project to be implemented in the province.