President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. signs an Executive Order extending for two more years the moratorium on the payment of the principal obligations and interest of the amortization due and payable by Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday lauded President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for signing an Executive Order that extends for another two years the moratorium on the debt of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries not covered by the recently-enacted New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA).
Likewise, Romualdez commended the Department of Agrarian Reform for submitting the Implementing Rules and Regulations on the NAEA (Republic Act No. 11953) 15 days before the prescribed deadline.
Romualdez, leader of the 311-member House of Representatives was among the government officials who witnessed President Marcos sign the EO (EO No. 40) extending up to September 15, 2025 the agrarian debt moratorium and presentation of the IRR of RA 11953 to the Chief Executive by DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III.
“The extension of the moratorium on the payment of the amortization and principal on the debt of our agrarian reform beneficiaries is a demonstration of the commitment of the administration of President Marcos to their welfare and the growth of our agricultural sector,” Romualdez said.
“DAR’s early submission of the IRR is a significant step towards fulfilling the promise of the New Agrarian Emancipation Act to uplift the life of our farmers, revitalize our agricultural sector, and provide affordable food for every family,” he added.
He noted that the moratorium would benefit some 129,059 ARBs, tilling an estimated 158,209 hectares of land, who did not reach the cut-off period of July 24, 2023, provided under RA 11953 to qualify for agrarian debt condonation.
The condonation of agrarian reform debt under the NAEA, on the other hand, would benefit some 610,054 ARBs who incurred an estimated P57.55 billion in unpaid amortization. It also terminates P206.247 million in unpaid compensation to landowners by 10,201 ARBs.
Earlier, Romualdez expressed confidence that RA No. 11953 would contribute immensely to the attainment of the country’s rice sufficiency.
He said erasing the agrarian reform beneficiaries’ indebtedness is just the first step in assisting them to attain better productivity, improve their lives and achieve rice sufficiency for the country.
“The next step is aiding them to those objectives by providing them with or giving them access to credit, technology, equipment, inputs, and other vital support services. Let us leave them to fend for themselves,” he added.
He pointed out that a farmer whose agrarian reform debt has been erased but who does not get help in obtaining credit for production and other needs may turn to usurers who will drive them into debt again.
