President Benigno Aquino 3rd has created an Inter-Agency Committee that will support the government’s rural-development efforts through the implementation of reforms in institutional arrangements for land distribution and management and provision of support services to farmers and fisher folk.

The President issued the directive by virtue of Administrative Order 34 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., that formed the Inter-Agency Committee on Institutional Arrangements for Land Management and Agricultural Support Services Delivery Across Rural Development Agencies, which facilitates the implementation of reforms in a bid to speed up the development of the country’s rural sector.

“The committee shall facilitate the implementation of reforms in the institutional arrangements for land distribution, management and delivery of support services to farmers and [fishermen] as a means of enhancing the development efforts of government for the rural sector,” the order stated.

The President said that the delivery of support services, agrarian reform beneficiary development, and the smooth transfer of the mandate of the Department of Agrarian Reform to the Department of Agriculture are continuing concerns of the government to ensure that the gains of land distribution under the CARP are sustained.

“There is a need to create a committee to undertake a study on the institutional arrangements that will ensure the continuity and streamlining of land distribution and management, the delivery of agricultural support services, and the resulting reorganization and rationalization of concerned government agencies,” he said.

Moreover, Mr. Aquino said that the alleviation of poverty in the country, particularly in rural areas where most of the indigents and marginalized sectors of society reside, is a priority concern of government.

“The national government agencies presently involved in rural development need to streamline their efforts in the delivery of support services in the countryside to speed up the development of the Philippine rural sector and to review their functions with the end view of simplifying protocols and procedures to optimize the use of government resources,” he said.

“Pursuant to Republic Act 9700, the implementation of the land acquisition and distribution component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program is to be completed by 30 June 2014,” he added.