April 10, 1973
MEMORANDUM
FOR : All Regional Directors
Department of Agrarian Reform
FROM : Secretary Conrado F. Estrella
Department of Agrarian Reform
Diliman, Quezon City
SUBJECT : Intensification of Operation Land Transfer
It has been noted lately that there has been some sign of laxity on the part of our regional offices, in the supposedly rapid implementation of Operation Land Transfer. So far, we have issued only around 7,000 out of an estimated 1.3 million Land Transfer Certificates after five (5) months of operation. This clearly shows that we are very slow and that there are some bottlenecks somewhere in the process of our implementation. aAHTDS
In order to accelerate our operations, all regional directors are hereby directed to exert more efforts in their assigned job and exercise stricter supervision over them. The following are the guidelines to be followed:
I. Submit to Central Office immediately through fastest means possible the following:
(a) Your regional status report on our Operation Land Transfer as of March 31, 1973, regarding rice and corn tenanted area of 100 hectares and above. Such operation is supposed to have been completed on March 31, 1973, that is so far as the identification of tenant-tiller is concerned and the sketching of the land they cultivate.
(b) List of all landowners owning rice and corn tenanted area of 50 hectares and over but less than 100 hectares, whether it be contiguous or aggregate, for two-fold purposes; firstly, for programming your production and identification survey; and secondly, for the land sketching requirements.
A radiogram to this effect was sent to you setting April 15, 1973, as your deadline for the submission of said list.
(c) List of landowners who are directly or indirectly resisting the implementation of Presidential Decree No. 27.
(d) List of all bottlenecks causing the delay in identification of tenant-tillers and the sketching of the land they are cultivating and other problems of Operation Land Transfer.
(e) Your weekly status report on Operation Land Transfer, including peace and order and economic situation prevailing in your area of jurisdiction. Submit this report regularly.
(f) Your regional summary integrated monthly accomplishment report.
II. Instruct all your fieldmen engaged in Operation Land Transfer to observe the following procedures and instructions to minimize if not entirely avoid errors:
(a) The Bureau of Land Survey Teams is required to sketch only the land cultivated by tenant-tillers contained in Operation Land Transfer Form No. 3. However, all other tenant-tillers not included in the list (OLT Form No. 3) who are wanting and requesting the Bureau of Lands Survey Teams to have their land they are cultivating be sketched, should first be identified by our DAR fieldmen (Using OLT Form No. 1) before their lands could be sketched. A DAR fieldmen should be assigned with the Bureau of Lands Sketching Team for this purpose. The DAR fieldmen assigned should preferably be one who has been with the DAR Team that surveyed the area. A supplementary list (OLT Form No. 3) shall be submitted to the Central Office to cover these non-listed tenant-tillers.
(b) The Bureau of Lands Survey Teams should not start the sketching job until they have received the list of tenant-tillers (OLT Form No. 3) or the supplementary list from the DAR fieldmen. Also, they should not, in any case, make any land sketching for any tenant-tillers not included in the said list, meaning that the tenants have not been previously identified by DAR fieldmen.
c) There should be very close coordination between the DAR fieldmen and the Bureau of Lands Sketching Teams to expedite matters.
III. Common errors in filling up and submission of forms. Such errors are:
(a) Forms are not filled up through the use of typewriter or in its absence, in block letters.
(b) The sketched are more than 3 hectares if irrigated and 5 hectares if non-irrigated. In the remarks in OLT Form No. 3, indicate whether the area is irrigated or non-irrigated. Partially irrigated parcel of land is considered non-irrigated.
(c) Names in OLT Form No. 1 and names listed in OLT Form No. 3 do not tally. Before submitting to the Central Office OLT Form Nos. 1 and 3, they should first be edited and tallied. AaEcHC
(d) The duplicate copies of OLT Form Nos. 1 and 3 are often submitted to the Central Office. Submit the originals of these forms only to the Central Office.
IV. New Instructions
(a) All fieldmen are enjoined to exercise utmost courtesy to landowners in dealing with them. Inform them when entering the premises of their landholding for operation land transfer. If however, the landowner refuse to let you in, seek the assistance of the PC Provincial Commander or the nearest PC Detachment Commanders after exhausting all available remedies with the landowners. Avoid rudeness.
(b) We will now use the new Flow Chart of Operation Land Transfer. Copies of these charts were sent to you. Please comply with it.
(c) We programmed to finish the operation in tenanted rice and corn lands of 50 hectares and over but less than 100 hectares to be completed by June 30, 1973. Please prepare your program of work to complete the operations as scheduled.
V. Be sure to furnish all your men a copy of this Memorandum.
(SGD.) CONRADO F. ESTRELLA
Secretary